The object of art

Photo: SHANE WENZLICK

UNIQUE MASTERPIECES: Sean Kerrigan’s steel furniture is on show at an exhibition to honour the late artist Peter Sauerbier. The two swords sitting on Mr Kerrigan’s chair are just a small example of Mr Sauerbier’s 40 years of work.

LATE ARTIST: Peter Sauerbier

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Sean Kerrigan has always found a place for art in his life.

The Otara artist says he didn’t have much of an education, but learned at an early age how to fix things.

Now he spends his time creating unique steel furniture masterpieces and experimental musical instruments.

Mr Kerrigan, along with three other artists, opened an exhibition on Tuesday which is a tribute to the late Auckland artist Peter Sauerbier.

Described as the grandfather of New Zealand found object art, Mr Sauerbier died in 2006 at the age of
79 after a battle with cancer.

His work, along with that of the four artists, will be featured until April 6 in Pierre Peeter Gallery, formally known as Aesthete Gallery, in Parnell.

Found object art is where a natural object, or an artefact not originally intended for an artistic purpose, is used as part of a visual artwork.

For more than 40 years Mr Sauerbier created fascinating works out of materials and specially selected objects.

Mr Kerrigan met the late artist in the mid-1990s.

"What really drew me to Peter was that he had similar ways of working to me.

"It was the fact that he was as old as he was and still doing this
stuff even though he hadn’t had the phenomenal success he deserved."

Mr Kerrigan says he’s been creating his own artwork for a couple of decades now.

Two of his pieces he describes as having a really socialist ideal.

One is a desk, which he’s called Letter to Karl – as in Karl Marx.

"It’s questioning what he devised back in the 1850s," Mr Kerrigan says.

"A lot of my works look really frivolous – but they have deep connotations to me.

"Peter laid the foundations of us being aware that there are other meanings to art."

Gallery owner Pierre Peeter suggested to Mr Kerrigan they do the tribute exhibition to honour Mr Sauerbier.

"I feel it’s important for an artist of his calibre not to be forgotten.

"Sometimes they are forgotten but it shouldn’t happen."

A Tribute Show in Honour of Peter Sauerbier runs until April 6 at Pierre Peeter Gallery, 251 Parnell Rd, Parnell.

- © Fairfax NZ News