Sculpture Exhibition Attracts Record Entries

31 July 2006

Premier Sculpture Exhibition Attracts Record Entries

New Zealand’s most spectacular exhibition of outdoor sculpture has attracted a record number of entries, with 27 artists selected from Northland to Southland.

Sculpture on the Gulf, a biennial initiative of the Waiheke Community Art Gallery, will transform the Church Bay coastal walkway overlooking Matiatia into a stunning gallery without walls from 26 January – 11 February 2007.

More than 180 entries were received for Sculpture on the Gulf 2007, compared to 60 for the previous exhibition in 2005.

The artists, who each receive a $2000 construction grant, include leading contemporary sculptors like Virginia King – whose stainless steel works featured in New Zealand’s garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in London – and first-time exhibitors like 11-year-old Lilly Rhind, an Auckland primary school student.

“It was exciting to receive so many unique and challenging proposals for the 2007 exhibition and we are thrilled with the way the artists have responded to the call for new works. It’s going to be a fantastic exhibition,” says Sculpture on the Gulf Artistic Director Jackie O’Brien.

Members of the public also get to choose their favourite sculpture during the exhibition. More than 9,000 people voted for the Telecom People’s Choice award at Sculpture on the Gulf in 2005, which was won by David McCracken’s Walkway to the Mainland.

Sculpture on the Gulf is proudly supported by key sponsors Telecom, Cable Bay Vineyards, BNZ Private Bank, SeaLink and ECC Lighting.

The full list of artists selected for Sculpture on the Gulf 2007 is: Tania Patterson, Northland; Charlotte Fisher, Auckland; Lyonel Grant, Auckland; Virginia King, Auckland; Suza Lawrence, Auckland; Meiling Lee, Auckland; David McCracken, Auckland; Julia Oram, Auckland; Peter Stoneham, Auckland; Jeff Thomson, Auckland; Leon van den Eijkel, Auckland; Warren Viscoe, Auckland; Steve Woodward, Auckland; Sharonagh Montrose, Waiheke; Kazu Nakagawa, Waiheke; Lilly Rhind, Auckland; Denis O’Connor, Waiheke; Brit Bunkley, Wanganui; Karin Strachan, Wanganui; Para Matchitt, Napier; Phil Price, North Canterbury; Pauline Rhodes, Christchurch; Tony Bond, Lyttelton; Morgan Jones, Arrowtown; Emily Pauling, Dunedin; Phil Newbury, Invercargill; Kon Dimopoulos, Australia.

The selectors were: Gregory O’Brien (City Gallery, Wellington; Priscilla Pitts (Director, Dunedin City Art Gallery); and Brett Graham (Artist and teacher, Auckland).

ENDS