1. The Gold of the Kowhai

(Paul Dibble) Commissioned 2015 

This sculpture is a magnificent proportion compared to the small delicate New Zealand Native Kowhai flower. This sculpture is a triumph in moulding and bronze casting in large proportions, then gilded in 24 carat gold. Perched above, slightly hidden is the beautiful tui bird waiting to feed on the kowhai's golden sweet nectar. 'The gold of the kowhai' collection by Paul Dibble were drawn from a poem penned and published in 1898, where William Pember Reeves, a statesmen, lawyer, High Commissioner and part time poet, wrote in London, upon thinking of his home country, and the felling of trees that were destroying native forests. In his faraway foreign lands he worried on the loss of "those gentle forest-haunting things" that "lived with their trees ... and passed away." The large proportion of this work gives note to the significance of deforestation by Dibble.

2. Zenith

(Ray Haydon) 2011

At 3.3 metres tall, this Corton weathering steel work, shows pointed lances that are fused together in a somewhat chaotic yet balanced composition, which creates a sense of motion in multiple directions rather than a controlled movement with no start and end points. The movement of line through space is the motivating force behind this work. This work is rhythmic and improvisational, expressing a sense of effortlessness and vitality that belies the large physical presence. This work was exhibited in the 2013 Waiheke Island Sculpture on the Gulf outdoor exhibition.

3. Into Another Realm

(Paul Dibble) 2007

This bronze work was part of Paul Dibble's Paradise collection, where his work looked at ideas of paradise drawn from past Oceania mythologies and present realities. It is the fusion of these from which this work emerges, an elongated figure, figurative in form, playfully cartwheels through this world to a realm beyond.

4. Geometric composition on Huia

(Paul Dibble) 2014

In this bronze work, Dibble uses the now extinct Huia bird, drawing attention to the plight of animal extinction. The Huia bird was a species of New Zealand wattlebird. The last confirmed sighting was in 1907. It was remarkable for having the most pronounced bill (beak) length difference of any bird species in the world between the male and female. The females bill was long, thin and arched downwards, and the male's bill was short and stout. The Huia was also known for its beauty and significance in local Maori mythology. Unable to sustain itself through widespread deforestation and hunted to extinction, this species is remembered in Dibble's renditions. The works act as a tribute, memorialising one of New Zealand's most treasured species.

5. Nectar Eater

(Paul Dibble) 2014

In this bronze work Dibble depicts the male Huia bird, identifiable with its shorter bill (beak), perched on the 24 carat gold leaf patina of the kowhai flower. 

6. Rabbit on Alert

 (Paul Dibble) 2015

From its creation in Paul Dibble's foundry in Palmerston North, and then exhibited in the Sydney Contemporary Exhibition at the Sydney Art Fair in September 2015, 'Rabbit on Alert' was installed in the garden in October 2015.  In Paul Dibble's words, "I choose the rabbit because they are interesting critters. We hunt them, we cuddle them, we put them in kids picture books and we just have a funny kind of relationship with them. This work is an interesting juxtaposition of nature, irony and kiwi humour".

7. Liberace

(Phil Price) 2019 

This sculpture won the people's choice award in the 2019 Waiheke Island Sculpture on the Gulf outdoor exhibition. Made from Carbon, this kinetic (movement by wind) stands at a height of 4.7 metres, reaching 5.2 metres wide, and has 22 kinetic points giving its fluid movement and arching grace.

8. I am Heron

(Paul Dibble) 2014

Like forest guardians, these two human like figures are sculptured with bird like heads, with the masks of their human faces removed. In this unveiling of the human mask, are we able to see this world through their bird like eyes, their animal consciousness, and ponder, would we treat our natural world any differently from their animal perception.

9. I am Tui

(Paul Dibble) 2014

The tui, with its violin, plays the majestic bird like song for which the New Zealand native Tui is so distinctly known. The Tui is a remarkable New Zealand bird. They look black from a distance, but they have a blue, green and bronze iridescent sheen, and distinctive white throat tuffs (poi). They are usually very vocal, with a complicated mix of tuneful notes interspersed with coughs, grunts and wheezes.

Tui's are very territorial, and quite boisterous to other birds. We have one particular Tui that has been in the garden for over a decade. He is often perched in trees near the garden room.  He keeps an eye on all the bird life that make their home in the garden.

10. Fantail on Ring

(Paul Dibble) Commissioned 2012

The fantail bird is a much admired New Zealand bird, known for its friendly 'cheet cheet' call and energetic flying antics. The fantail is often seen in the bush as trekkers pass by, disturbing insects which they feed upon. Here Dibble has the bronze fantail perched on a Corton steel ring. Unlike bronze, which has a rich tradition in art history, Corton steel is primarily used industrially, and only in recent times has it been used in architecture and art. 

PAUL DIBBLE (1943 - 2023)

was a leading artist of his generation, particularly well-known for his large-scale, cast bronze sculptures. He leaves an extraordinary artistic legacy. Key themes in Dibble’s sculptural work include native flora and fauna, cultural history, architecture, and the human figure. A high point of Dibble’s career was the successful commission of The New Zealand Hyde Park Corner Memorial in London. This permanent sculpture was unveiled in Hyde Park in 2006 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

PHIL PRICE

Since 2000 New Zealand born Phil Price has focused on wind activated kinetic sculpture. He is regarded as the foremost kinetic sculptor of his generation, with his work being widely acknowledged for its breath taking beauty, evocation of the natural world, and extraordinary design. His use of carbon fibre composite construction is unparalleled in regards to the synergy he is able to achieve between form and kinetic functionality. His work is held in numerous public and private collections internationally, including Austria, USA, Switzerland, Holland, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

RAY HAYDON

Negative space is defined by the solid objects it surrounds. This is one of the physical aspects of Ray Haydon’s sculptural practice that really matters; he is actively “painting” the air with materials to fabricate constructions in space.