Leading Lane

I hadn’t previously noticed the sign labelling this small lane off Gloucester Street as Nurseryman Lane, and wondered whether it might be a reference to Cabbage Patch Wilson.  The Otakaro site says it refers to the nursery that once stood on the site of the Innovation Precinct, and a couple of other sites give this lane as being between Lichfield and Tuam Streets in the South Frame (rather than the East), so I’m confused.

The other end appears to be called Huanui Lane (meaning trail or highway) and the lane, under whichever name, leads towards a 16 metre tall sculpture in Worcester Street.

Vaka A Hina

Vaka A Hina combines Pacific Island culture with a striking geometry to embody the uniqueness of all the different people who make up our community.  The name translates to Vessel of Hina.  She is a Tongan Goddess who lives on the moon and frequently travels back and forth to earth.  The artist is Semisi Fetokai Potauaine.

This sculpture honours a goddess
which pleases me as you may guess

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Pretty Puffballs

A new sculpture has appeared on the corner of Lichfield and Colombo Streets.   To me it looked like a bunch of giant puffballs, with little stools beside them.  There’s a stand nearby, but no explanation on it as yet.  I later discovered that the balls are dahlias.  They have colour inside and they will light up at night.  The work was part of the Light up the City design competition earlier this year.  Great to have another new artwork in the central city!

This kind of sculpture I just luff
there’s seven giant balls of puff

 

 

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Additional Artwork

 

‘Lift’ by Phil Price

Barker’s Plantation, at the corner of Kilmore and Madras Streets has been enhanced by a sculpture.  ‘Lift’ by Phil Price was made in 1992 (although the plaque says 1993) during the artist’s residency at Queen Mary Hospital in Hanmer.  At this stage he was keen to demonstrate his ability to make large permanent outdoor works, and fascinated by flight and movement, but had not yet started to make kinetic sculpture.  The raised surface around the sculpture is designed to mitigate any risk of climbing and to protect the artwork when the grass is being mowed.  The work has been offered to the City Council on long term loan for at least ten years.

Nucleus seen in 2006

In 2006 ‘Nucleus’ a kinetic sculpture by Price was installed at the junction of High, Manchester, and Lichfield Streets.  This was removed for maintenance in 2017, and returned in 2018.

There’s lot’s of artworks in our city
some are attractive, some are witty

 

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Dressed for Drinking?

I saw a picture of Le Dejeuner en Fourrure (Luncheon in Fur), a surrealist sculpture by Meret Oppenheim.  It was inspired by a conversation the artist had with Pablo Picasso where he admired her fur-covered bracelet.

Le Déjeuner en Fourrure

Seeing it reminded me that I have a coffee mug with a felted band and mat which was a gift from a friend several years ago.  The artist is Lorna Hayward from Portobello, Otago.

Coffee mug with felted band and mat

As a cat lover I welcome the furriness of Meret’s piece, but my logical self says this would not be a cup to drink from.  Like my decorated mug it’s a piece of art intended to show that a cup can have different meanings and act on different levels.

A decorated vessel may
be not quite right for tasse de thé

 

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Plentiful Perspectives

Monument to the Present

This sculpture is outside the old Court building in Durham Street.  Monument to the Present by UK-based artist Tom Dale emerged from his observation of the challenges of having many voices and many perspectives vying to be heard, often representing conflicting ideas and imperatives.  The imagery informing the silhouetted gesturing and pointing has been drawn from archival and contemporary media images from Canterbury and from existing figurative memorials in the city.

With many hands all reaching out
discord is what this work’s about

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Gorgeous Gyratory

This Three Square Gyratory by George Rickey is displayed at the Arts Centre as part of the SCAPE Public Art 2018 Season.  I love kinetic sculpture, and this is a fine example.

The word gyratory refers to a circular or spiral motion.  When I was in the U.K. I was intrigued to find that their traffic roundabouts were called gyratories.

‘This sculpture is propelled with wind
by physics it is underpinned.’

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Working Willow

These poles on the corner of Worcester Street and Latimer Square intrigued me, so I went over to ask what was happening.

I found a group of Gap Filler people who are creating a living willow sculpture.  The concept had been designed by Ara students, and the finished work is expected to remain there for two years (or maybe longer if Fletchers take their usual time with building).  It’s all part of transitional plans for the East Frame.

This reminds me of a time many years ago when my brother, who was an amateur radio enthusiast, installed a tall willow pole as a mast outside his sleep-out.  This very quickly sprouted leaves and grew into a sizeable tree.  I’ll be most interested to see how the new living sculpture develops.

‘The willow tree is versatile
and can be planted sculpture style.’

 

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Methodist Motif

This beautiful sculpture by Neil Dawson graces the front wall of the Methodist Church National Office in Papanui.

The design is made up of dozens of doves flying upwards to reflect the shape of an unfurling flower, or a heart.  Where there are two doves together they look like angels.

It’s hard to photograph in the daytime because it’s silver on a pale wall, but I’m told that at night it is lit up and looks amazing.

“By symbolising peace, the dove
reflects the church’s way of love.”

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Farm Frolics

We visited Loudon Farm to view the Sculpture on the Peninsula.  It was a somewhat fraught drive over Dyers Pass, on account of the number of cyclists on the narrow winding road, some of whom were inclined to ride two abreast.  We chose to return via Lyttelton and the tunnel.

Loudon Farm is always a pleasure to visit, with its magnificent grounds, historic buildings, and range of permanent sculptures, plus there were chooks!

Loudon Rooster

A display of photographs showed the damage done by flooding last July.  Trees had been clear felled in the Waieke Forest above the farm, and when the heavy rains came debris from the felling washed down and formed dams.  The water rose rapidly, broke through the dams, and debris crushed fences, carved out farm roads and paddocks, and flooded a cottage.  The farm is still littered with piles of logs over three metres high.  Waieke Forest have yet to take any responsibility for the damage and sad ecological consequences, partly caused by Ecan’s failure to monitor forest felling.

I was interested to see this commemoration.  It reads: “At this site on Monday 19 March 2012 a conspiracy of minds determined to save Christchurch Cathedral”

The sculptures on display seemed to me to be not as striking as in previous years (no daleks!).  The one I liked best was “Flight”.

Flight by Justin Galligan

The catalogue had photos of all the artworks, which helped with identifying my photos afterwards.  Here are some more of them:

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The exhibition is on tomorrow as well, and it’s well worth the drive.  There was plenty of food available at reasonable prices (with some queues), and music during the afternoon.

“To see such artworks you will find
is stimulating for the mind.”

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Structure for Scape

A strange building has appeared on the riverbank near the Hereford Street Bridge.  The Glass Pavilion by Gregor Kregear is part of the Scape Public Art 2017 season.

It’s constructed from industrial waste materials considered not to be of use or commercial value: bricks of recycled glass, salvaged timber, and re-purposed neon lights.  “The work seeks to acknowledge ways in which the fabric of the destroyed city has in some cases found a new purpose, and pay homage to the fortitude and resilience of Christchurch communities, while also encouraging us to pause to consider the new forms of architecture repopulating the built environment.”

Apparently it’s lit up after dark and looks amazing.  Definitely worth a nighttime drive past.

“This shelter with its wooden roof
would possibly not be rainproof.”

 

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