Talking about scupture

Manifest Sculpture, Nelson Arts Festival

What a  success, especially measured against the  sculpture format of last year's arts festival.  A clever combination of forum, lecture series, sculpture tour and sculpture in the park tempted the art- lover, whose dilemma was how to accommodate these with everything else. Many missed the NMIT lectures - a pity as the calibre of the artists was excellent.

The sculptors at Founders felt it was worthwhile and  had a stream of interested visitors. Fiona Sutherland commented that ''what she loved the most was working with the others, that it was inspiring".

Andy Waugh uses argillite from the Whangamoas and Motueka River harzburgite. His finished work is polished to a fine gleam.   Tim Royall was working with black granite, a reliable material, unlike Takaka marble which he prefers but finds tricky to cut without cracking.

Originally a panel-beater, Ken Laws loves the softness of stainless steel and how it reflects light and colour. He has been a full-time artist for seven years. 
Wittily chaired by Te Radar, who suggested Aucklanders would think a pottery dream-catcher sculpture suitable for Nelson, the forum, Public art in troubled times, was well-attended by a mix of ages. There was a lively discussion between panellists Councillor Ali Boswijk, sculptors Phil Price and Andrew Drummond and marketing expert Brian Richards.

What should we do to avoid bad public art and who makes the decisions about taste anyway? One suggestion was that every time a big retail square box goes up a punishment fee should be paid to fund public art!

Drummond praised the Wellington Sculpture Trust and said  that without a long-term plan and funding, ideally from sponsorship, there would always be a problem. There was panel consensus that, ideally, councils would only provide the sites for sculpture, with commissions and artist contact through  a sculpture trust or similar.   This needs courage said Price, but is the only practical way. 

Enjoyed by a large group, it was a beautiful sunny Sunday for the Vineyard Sculpture Tour at Woollaston  Estates. We went up close to Marte Szirmay's Yantra, looked through it and walked around the wonderful angles, noticing how light made stripes of shadow on the stones beneath. Entering  the private Wine Library and seeing the  lovely inverted sculpture with its delicate ornamentation was unforgettable. 

With this piece, sculptor Neil Dawson, known for his iconic Ferns in Wellington's Civic Square and Chalice in Christchurch's Cathedral Square, gives a quiet space magical quality.

Standing in front of her large black clay egg sculpture, Christine Bosjwik talked poetically about her work, the way she does it "mainly with her own hands" and how, when she first saw the fallen gum trees she used for the support poles, they "were lying on the ground like beasts."

Tim Wraight explained the symbolism carved on his The Lie of the Land  poles, positioned perfectly on the lake island and Andrew Drummond introduced his Vertical Spinning Form with its ochre patina and 24ct gold overlay that shines as it spins with the wind. It "tells the weather" he said.

It was an extra treat to be shown through the  private  collection of both New Zealand and American art  by  Glenn Schaeffer.  A wonderful way to finish a wonderful day.
Should we consider a Sculpture Symposium, separate from the Arts Festival, perhaps before or after, or at some other time of the year?

A similar format with the addition of more working sculptors on site, would not only bring in and involve Nelsonians and visitors but also offer an ideal sponsorship opportunity.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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