Labrador sculpture planned for pond in gardens
A SCULPTURE of a giant Labrador is planned for the Queenstown Gardens.
In a report to today’s community and services committee council arts and events facilitator Jan Maxwell said the piece, created by local artist Richard Wells, had been selected by the Queenstown Lakes District Art and Culture Trust, formerly known as the Aspiring Arts and Culture Trust.
The trust was established by the council 18 years ago to develop, foster and promote the arts and cultural identity of the district, with a mandate to provide public artworks.
Mrs Maxwell’s report said 19 expressions of interest were received by the trust for consideration for the Queenstown Gardens.
The trustees selected Mr Wells’ piece — twice the size of an average Labrador — because it was suitable for the site planned for one of the ponds in the gardens and would engage with visitors.
Mr Wells, a figurative sculptor, said the dog would be depicted leaping into one of the ponds at the gardens from a ‘‘wharf or rock’’.
‘‘The sculpture will be in bronze and twice lifesize to ensure impact and vision.
‘‘The dog will have one back leg dipping into the water . . . [and] will appear to be suspended above the water, about to land in with a huge splash.’’
There was a possibility of a fountain being created under it, while a highstrength stainless steel rod would be inserted into the back leg and submerged in the pond to provide ground support.
It would take about six months for the piece to be created and would cost $78,000 in total.
The trust received an annual grant of $50,000 from the council, through the 10year plan, to purchase and maintain public art in the district on behalf of the council.
Mr Wells, who has pieces in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa’s permanent collection, is also the owner of Artworks foundry, the oldest established bronze artcasting foundry in New Zealand.
He and his team have cast bronzes of all sizes for other New Zealand sculptors, including Phar Lap for Phar Lap Raceway, at Washdyke.