Finding Wellington beauty
Hunter Macdonald’s destruction of the Len Lye sculpture on Wellington’s waterfront has opened up a discussion about public art and the role it plays in society. For many, it resides on the periphery of everyday life, something to be glanced at but rarely observed.
Macdonald destroyed a popular artwork on the city’s waterfront, but there are 75 other works for Wellingtonians and visitors to appreciate.
Luisa Girao and Nicholas Pointon have put together a list of 10 must-see artworks and where to find them. Browne’s sculpture is among many nestled in the Botanic Gardens. Words are a common site of exploration for Brown as she tries to unpack the power of language. In this work, the viewer is encouraged to climb and read the work. The steps are book-ended with body and soul, alerting viewers to the transitory nature of existence. In a recent interview Neil Dawson described public artworks as dynamic, their meaning changing over time. Ferns has become synonymous with the city and a beloved icon for Wellingtonians. The work comprises 11 aluminium sheets, depicting five types of natural ferns, the heki, puniu, petako, lace fern, and ponga. The Nikau Palms adorning the pillars of Wellington Library comprise 15 stylised palms made of zinc, copper and steel. his life. The sculpture was initially granted a public installation permit for 12 months, but the council later bought the work for $60,000. The fountain was designed by architects and town planning consultants Burren and Keen, the Bucket Fountain is one of the most popular public artworks in Wellington. It was constructed as part of the 1969 development of Cuba St pedestrian mall, with the fountain costing $2000 of the $50,000 mall budget. In November 2003, Wellington City Council gave the Bucket Fountain a $9000 upgrade. Originally referred to as the Water Mobile, the fountain divided opinions when it was installed. The Umbrella sculpture by Peter Kundycki was installed in 1990. It was relocated from the corner from Cuba St and Wakefield St to Cuba St and Dixon St. The original fabric that made up the canopy has since been replaced with aluminium. The artwork alludes to the relatively high rainfall in the city. The beleaguered artwork is part of the Meridian Wind Sculpture Walkway, a series of five large sculptures along Cobham Drive in Evans Bay that links art with renewable energy. Designed by Phil Price, the Zephyrometer is a giant orange 26-metre-long needle, which indicates the strength and direction of the wind. In 2015, it was replaced after it was blown up by a bolt of lightning.