New Public Artwork Installed In Waitangi Park

Seung Yul Oh’s work KIMI/You Are Here will be formally ‘unveiled’ this evening in Waitangi Park.

The work is the 30th permanent public work of art commissioned by the Wellington Sculpture Trust, and over 170 people are expected to attend the unveiling which will be conducted by the new Mayor of Wellington, Andrew Little.

Chair of the Wellington Sculpture Trust, Jane Black, said today: “ Seung’s work KIMI/ You Are Here is sited in the coastal planting area within the old shipping dry-dock. At 5.5metres, it can be seen from near and far and appears nestled within the vegetation from many viewpoints, but in fact it sits at the end of path, creating an element of concealment and discovery.

“The work is highly engineered with a delicate point of connection to the ground, gently touching the concrete path and appears to be virtually suspended through clever concealment of its foundations. This, thanks to the exceptional work of the engineers working with Seung: Dunning Thornton; and Global Stainless, the fabricators.

“Just like a ‘pin drop’, KIMI/You are Here is a dramatic statement and marker of the site. The inverted tear drop made of stainless steel reflects the grasses and plants surrounding it and the people who take this path less trodden to stand at its base.

“With its strong visual presence across the park and from the surrounding road, it invites viewers to seek it out , first needing to find the path that leads to a more intimate engagement”, said Jane.

The highly polished mirrored surface of the work provides a contrasting element to the natural landscaped environment and its reflective nature capturing the movement of the surrounding vegetation, the sky, as well as the viewer themselves.

Seung, a Korean / New Zealand artist, says of his work: “This hollow and empty invisible void alighted upon this location, absorbing its surroundings to manifest itself.

“Its intangible physicality exists solely by the breath of perception breathed into it. It continually negotiates the potential for growth and the vanishing of its mass, both from within and beyond the surface.

“The site gives an opportunity for both the viewer and the work to engage with multiple perspectives to experience together. The context of a public park with multi purposes, invites a variety of people to search, confront, surprise, reflect, remember and grow with the work, ” Seung said.

The Trust sought permission to place the work in the park from both the Council and mana whenua. “We are honoured that the Ahu Whenua Trusts: Wellington Tenths Trust and Palmerston North Māori Reserve Trusts have generously presented You are Here with a name and whakatauki to enrich the work’s context and significance,” Jane said.

Kimi (Seek) – signifies the actions to seek, look for, delve, search or hunt. ‘Kimi horoa, kimi Horapa (seek far and wide). This whakatauki advocates for extensive exploration and the pursuit of knowledge and understanding in a broad, sweeping manner.

It captures the notion that one should not confine their exploration to known areas but should rather broaden their search to acquire diverse perspectives, comprehensive insights, and wisdom.

The name KIMI, along with its accompanying whakatauki, not only aligns with the artist’s vision for viewers to ‘engage in multiple perspectives’ but also holds deep cultural significance and important message for Wellington and all of Aotearoa at the beginning of the 21st century.

The Trust believes this work by Seung will become a place maker for not only the park, but also Wellington itself – encouraging people to acknowledge the immediate presence of the sculpture, and to explore the intricate web of narratives and hidden treasures associated with this site and our wonderful city. Jane Black says: “The place-making work comes to Wellington at a time, when the city is just starting to once again inject its creative spirit, entrepreneurial nous and vibrancy back into its collective conscience.”

“The commissioning of this work saw the Trust embark on its biggest fundraising effort since its inception 42 years ago. It needed to raise $600,000 to commission the work, and it is thanks to the generosity of organisations and individual Wellingtonians who shared in the vision of this work that it was possible,” Jane said.

About Seung Yul Oh:

“Recently, I have been working on a range of projects alongside the commission for the Wellington Sculpture Trust, including a public sculpture for the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, and a commission for 101 Collins Street in Melbourne, and sole exhibitions at One and J Gallery in Seoul and Starkwhite in Queenstown. These experiences have required me to balance large scale fabrication with multiple fabricators and more intimate, daily studio explorations with a variety of materials, which has led to the development of multiple painting series. The contrast between these scales and methods has sparked new ideas, and I am excited to continue integrating these scales and methods has sparked new ideas, and I am excited to continue integrating these scales and methods has sparked new ideas, and I am excited to continue integrating these dynamic approaches into my future work, expanding both the conceptual and material aspects o my practice.”

b.1981

Education: 2004 M.F.A Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand 2003 B.F.A Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand

Solo Exhibitions:

2024 Behind Forward, STARKWHITE, Queenstown, NZ

2023 Atonal Sonority, NorthArt, Auckland, NZ

Guttation, ONE AND J. GALLERY, Seoul, KR

2022 Huggong-Monologue, STARKWHITE, Auckland, NZ

2020 Touch, ONE AND J. Gallery, Seoul. Korea

2018 Vary very, ONE AND J. Gallery, Seoul. Korea

Horizontal Loop, STARKWHITE Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand Soom: variation II, Xinchang Culture Centre, Shanghai, China

2016 Slit Scan, Tauranga Art Gallery, Tauranga, New Zealand

2015 HaaPoom, Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand Left, Right, ONE AND J. Gallery, Seoul, Korea

2014 SOOM, Auckland City Art Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

memmem, STARKWHITE Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

MOAMOA, a Decade, City Gallery Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand 2013 MOAMOA, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand

Huggong, Christchurch Art Gallery, Christchurch, New Zealand

SEESAW, ONE AND J. GALLERY, Seoul, Korea

2012 Huggong, Starkwhite Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

2011 Bok, The Physics Room, Christchurch, New Zealand

Solo Group Show, ggooll, Seoul, Korea

2010 Bogle Bogle, The New Dowse Museum, Wellington, New Zealand

2009 Pokpo, Artspace, Auckland, New Zealand

2008 Oddooki, Sculpture Court, Te Papa the Museum of New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand

Daradaradarada, STARKWHITE Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

2007 Ssendong, Starkwhite Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

2006 Chew Chew Tongue, Starkwhite Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

All the Way Down Back Inside the Bones of Your Spine, Peter's Garage, Auckland, New Zealand

2004 Sniffing Onioned Armpit, Special Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand

2003 Seung, Deepfried at Peter's Garage, Peter's Garage, Auckland, New Zealand The Ability to Blow Themselves up, Spiral Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand 

Public Commissions:

2023 Orbit, 101 Collins Street Lobby, Melbourne, Australia

2022 Moment of Movement, Ōtākaro, Christchurch Convention & Exhibition Centre (CCEC), Christchurch, NZ

Anechoic Assemble, Coupland Cormack, Cordis Hotel Lobby, Auckland, NZ 2018 Form in Formation, Nelson Sculpture Trust, Richmond Library, Nelson, New Zealand

2017 Upon a Pond and Drop a Loop, Albany Swimming Pool, Auckland, New Zealand 

About the Wellington Sculpture Trust 1983 -

In 1983 the Wellington Sculpture Trust registered as a Charitable Trust and so began 42 years of dedicated and voluntary work to provide innovative contemporary public art for Wellington City.

Over this time the Trust has installed 30 permanent works within the city centre, the Botanic Gardens, the waterfront, and along Cobham Drive near Wellington airport. Add to this the 11 temporary sculptures: 9 on the four plinths between the waterfront and Te Papa, the temporary commissioning and installation of Quasi on top of the City Gallery in 2021, and the virtual reality work HALO hovering over Wellington harbour – together this is a considerable legacy.

The Trust was formed by a group of far-sighted individuals who recognised the need for financial support and advocacy for artists. They also recognised the role public sculpture could play in upholding the cultural and spiritual values in the face of the 1980s rampant redevelopment of Wellington.

The Wellington Sculpture Trust, through its many public art works, has changed the face of our city.

Over the past four decades the Trust has used its strong relationships with Council, corporates, and loyal members and donors, to advance a defined vision of public art.

The site-specific projects have become increasingly ambitious and complicated, harnessing not only the wind and water, but also new technologies.

Public events and publications have signaled the greater role the Trust has assumed in providing forums for discussion and engagement with public art.

In 2013 the Trust instigated the New Zealand version of PARK(ing) Day, an annual event where artists, organisations and members of the public transform metered parking spaces into living parks for one day. In partnership with the Wellington City Council, the Trust held its 11th event in March this year, taking over 30 carparks in Cuba Street with a wide variety of interactive activities and installations on spaces usually reserved for cars.

The Sculpture Trust continues to add extraordinary value to Wellington, and nationally to sculptural practice. Its contribution to Wellington has been enduring and enriches the visual, aesthetic, and creative atmosphere of the city, making art accessible and adding to the reputation Wellington has gained as the creative capital.

On 11 December 2025, the Trust will ‘switch on’ its 31st work in Shed 21: Eddie Clemen’s Fibre Optic Colonnade Car Wash

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