More reflected glory for Wellington's harbour

KENT BLECHYNDEN/The Dominion Post

THOUGHTFUL: Max Patte with his new waterfront statue called Reflection, which is on loan to the city.

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Solace in the Wind now has a waterfront friend – a statue called Reflection loaned to the city by artist Max Patte.

The new cast-iron figure of a young male squatting on the edge of a concrete pillar over the water was installed yesterday near the entrance to Frank Kitts Lagoon.

"There were two possible sculptures I was going to do for the location of Solace and this is the second one," Patte said. "I call them emotional portraits."

The name Reflection was given to the sculpture by Patte, a senior sculptor at Weta Workshop, as a play on words. "The figure is not in fact gazing at his own reflection in the water. He has his eyes closed and is rather reflecting on someone or something else."

It will remain in place until February next year.

Solace in the Wind, a bronze man leaning above Wellington Harbour near Te Papa, was also loaned to the city by Patte.

It was bought by Wellington City Council for $60,000 after it picked up the People's Choice Award for favourite sculpture at last year's Wellington Civic Trust Awards.

Patte hopes Reflection will have the same impact on the public's psyche. "They are both figurative pieces and people can identify with them on quite a basic level. They are also quite open to interpretation and you can interact with them."

Solace has been targeted by taggers a couple of times, and the new sculpture could be too, but that does not worry Patte.

"I would be interested to see them in 10 years covered in graffiti which has then worn away like a second skin."