New Home For Hawke’s Bay Artist’s Sculpture

An iconic sculpture by Martin Selman has found a new home at Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga – Hastings Art Gallery, after its original site was demolished. This move reflects the gallery’s ongoing commitment to supporting the work and legacies of artists.

Regeneration was created in 1995 by Selman as a private commission for the atrium of Heretaunga House, an office building in Hastings. Originally from Birmingham, UK, Selman grew up in Hawke’s Bay before moving to Auckland in the mid-2000s. Although he now works exclusively in marble, Regeneration showcases his early experimentation with black basalt and bronze.

Selman recalls the process vividly: “I collected individual pieces of basalt stone from Blackhead Quarry in Dunedin. Then I regenerated these broken fragments into singular columns using clay, which I later cast in bronze. What were once separate, broken parts became unified, regenerated columns.”

For nearly 30 years, Regeneration stood quietly in Heretaunga House, its story gradually fading from public memory. When demolition of the building began in 2023, the sculpture’s significance was at risk of being lost altogether.

That’s when Hastings Art Gallery’s exhibition design and installation manager Jonathan Brown stepped in. A respected artist himself, Brown was aware of the sculpture and its uncertain future.

“I knew the building was coming down and I wanted to make sure the artwork was protected,” says Brown. “I brought it over to the gallery. There was no formal plan at the time, but I felt responsible – I guess as a kaitiaki, a guardian – to look after the artwork.”

For three years, the sculpture rested in the gallery’s workshop, waiting for the right moment. Earlier this year, a repaving project in Civic Square gave the gallery an opportunity to reimagine a small courtyard between the library and gallery buildings. This newly activated space became the perfect setting for Regeneration.

Now, visitors can encounter the sculpture just inside the gallery foyer, where its presence resonates alongside another of Selman’s works located outside the nearby Hastings Library – a sculpture commissioned for the year 2000 to mark the new millennium.

Selman is pleased to see his work revitalised. “Jonathan reaching out to tell me the story behind the sculpture was the first I’d heard of it in years. I’m grateful for his foresight to recognise its value.”

He reflects on the sculpture’s journey: “Spending 30 years in one place, then being given a new life somewhere else—that is the true regeneration of the artwork.”

Gallery director Sophie Davis says: “Our team’s deep knowledge and commitment to safeguarding and presenting artworks ensures that artists like Martin receive the care and respect their work deserves. Martin’s connection to Hawke’s Bay runs through his practice. Preserving and activating Regeneration within our gallery precinct is one example of supporting ongoing relationships between artists and our communities.”

© Scoop Media