Trip leader: Eric Livingstone
On Wednesday 27th August five members met our friendly guide Nicci, for a very informative visit to the Christchurch Art Gallery to visit the Fred Graham exhibition. This was a real revelation to us. Firstly on the style of his sculptures and secondly on the magnitude of some of his outdoor works which are mainly in Wellington and Auckland where he wanted to give their cityscapes a distinctive New Zealand flavour as seen on the accompanying videos.
Birds featured strongly in over half of the works and most striking was the large kotuku or white heron on the top of the former head office, a sculpture commissioned by the Ford Company of New Zealand ( see photo) which was gifted back to the family when their office was closed. To Maori the kotuku means knowledge and growth and this carving was mounted above six reclining Maori ancestor figures in a stainless steel framework. Also we were intrigued by how a small carving of a fantail mounted on pounamu was always displayed so that it’s shadows suggested additional birds surrounding it.
Fred passed away in May of this year aged 97 and we were so pleased to have a chance to learn about him and photograph some of his works. Coffee for a few of us rounded out a very informative visit.
Eric and Judy Livingstone
