| Title
>> Clapham 's Clock Museum Mural
Location
>>
Whangarei Town Basin
Art
Form >> mural
Media
>>
acrylic paint
Artist
>>
Stephen Pike
Date
>>
1995
Most murals
in this survey have been painted onto existing surfaces that,
to varying degrees, desperately needed some remedy to make
them an aesthetically tolerable part of the city. In the case
of the Clapham's Clock Museum the curved surface area of the
mural was an integral part of the architectural design. Art
meets architecture. It can be seen as either an interesting
concept or in some cases as an architectural cop-out.
Although the space was 'planned-in', the actual content of
the mural space was left for the artist to submit proposals.
Applicants presented their work in person to the Town Basin
Development Committee. Stephen was comfortable in this situation:
he enjoyed making his presentation and made something of an
impression on the mayor and councillors.
Stephen's feeling is that part of his success was due to
the councillor's preference for submissions in the realist
style as opposed to more 'abstract' proposals. Even so it
was not Stephen's first proposal that was commissioned and
he prepared a second version. There is no record of any 'art
expertise' being brought to the decision making process. Stephen's
own view is that his murals are not intended for those with
'art expertise' but for the average passer-by, so it is not
an issue.
Stephen has painted several murals in Whangarei and many
others throughout New Zealand. For the Clapham's Clock Museum
mural he used real people as subjects. He photographed them
in the desired poses then montaged these images together to
form his original. From this he transferred the design to
the wall using the grid method.
The scene depicts the development of horology through the
ages, from early times to the present where youth are seen
pushing into the future.
Text by Desmond Ford
 sculpture
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