Bell sculpture fits in nicely at botanic gardens

Photo: NEIL DUDDY

BOTANICAL SCULPTURES: Otahuhu artist Phil Neary and his sculpture Listen and Learn, which is part of Stoneleigh Sculpture in the Gardens.

In the middle of the Auckland Botanic Gardens is a giant bell.

Steel bars twist and turn in an intricate design and smaller bells chime softly in the wind.

The bell is a sculpture from Otahuhu artist Phil Neary, whose work is part of Stoneleigh Sculpture in the Gardens.

It is one of 20 sculptures by some of New Zealand’s best artists, hidden in among the trees and plants for the exhibition, which opens tomorrow.

Mr Neary created the sculpture Listen and Learn over nine months.

The hexagonal patterns in the plant formed the shape of the sculpture. The 12 bronze bells hanging from it are inscribed with different ecological images including kiwi, fish and bees.

Creating the sculpture for the gardens was a challenge because there are "so many things going on", Mr Neary says.

"Knowing you’re making a sculpture outside, you’re not trying to replicate trees, you want it to fit in."

An artist for the past 20 years, Mr Neary was part of the last Stoneleigh Sculpture in the Gardens exhibition in 2007.

Stoneleigh Sculpture in the Gardens runs until February 14.

The exhibition is free.

The gardens are open 8am to 8pm daily.

- © Fairfax NZ News