| Title
>> Kaikaranga - Ma Te Wahine Ka Tupu Ai -
Child
Location
>>
Cafler Park
Art
Form >>
sculpture
Media
>>
Ceramic
Artist
>>
Shona Rapira Davies
Date
>>
1989
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These
large ceramic figures by Shona Rapira Davies were originally
sited in the middle of a pond on campus. However the stagnant
water in the pond was a health risk and had to be drained.
This left the sculpture "high and dry" and the concrete
figures were vandalized. "Vandals only attack things
if they look vulnerable, if they look old or dilapidated."
Shona Rapira-Davies, Advocate article 1998.
These works have a strong pedigree, being related to a collection
of 13 other figures, 'Nga Morehu' now at Te Papa, Wellington.
The artist repaired the works in 1998 and the Polytechnic
was then looking at developing a policy for its art collection.
Today these works by Shona Rapira Davies are still in limbo
in a lock-up compound. To come across these figures now behind
chain-link fence topped with barbed-wire creates an unfortunate
first impression of them as prison inmates. It is easy for
the imagination to construct stories about their incarceration.
And this brief commentary has not done justice to the work
of the artist either. However it does highlight some key aspects
of public art. There is the obvious matter of vandalism that
any work intended for the public environment has to address.
And just as we look at the role of public art in society and
our community we also look at its role in educational environments
and relative to their art departments.
There appears to have been a time of considerable enthusiastic
output of sculpture at the Polytechnic in the past.
Text by Desmond Ford
Stop press
HAPPY IN THEIR NEW HOME
Cafler Park has become home for two large freestanding ceramic figures, which are soon to be adorned with landscaping and lighting.
Whangarei Art Museum collection/programme co-ordinator Joanne Moselen says Kaikarana Ma Te Wahine Ka Typa ai was created in 1989 by contemporary artist Shona Rapira-Davies "These figures are two of three that originally stood in the middle of a pond on the Northland Polytechnic campus," Joanne said. After the pond had to be drained because of the stagnant water the three figures were left high and dry. Then one of them was badly vandalized. The remaining two have sat in limbo in a lock-up compound at the polytechnic since 1998.
Joanne says the sculptures were placed in Cafler Park this month after a ground clearing karakia. Joanne says the figures stand happily in their new home over-looking the Waiarohia Stream as a growing sculptural and cultural presence in Cafler Park. "since the unveiling of these figures... fresh flowers have been appearing in their hands, this spontaneous engagement of the public with this work can only be seen as an indication of the positive public response to this initiative," she said.
The Whangarei Leader Tuesday February 18 2003 - By Karen Barkla
STATUE VANDALISM IN PARK A BITTER PILL FOR ARTIST
Vandals have smashed an arm off each of two statues by major artist Shona Rapira Davies, just a few days after they were placed in Cafler Park. The mother-and-daughter pair had previously stood unharmed for the past 10 years in the grounds of Northland Polytechnic, which commissioned them from the artist in the early 1990s.
The polytechnic recently decided to gift the statues to the city to mark the opening of a major installation by Davies and Diane Prince at the nearby Whangarei Art Museum. WAM Director Scott Pothan said the artist was extremely upset at the desecration of the statues and wanted them taken away. "These works were actually precursors to major artworks Shona Rapira Davies has in Te Papa," he said. He said it was very sad that the statues had been attacked so soon after being brought into the city centre where more people could see them. There had already been tremendous interest in them and people were enjoying having them there. "People have been putting flowers in the hands of the statues every day... the artist was extremely touched by these reactions."
Mr Pothan said the statues had been blessed at a dawn ceremony on February 9 and whoever had done the damage should be very ashamed to have violated tapu. Ironically, he had just received a quote for installation of lighting and security cameras at the site. "This episode also raises the question of the enforcement of the liquor ban in the inner city... the ban was clearly being ignored here in the park and the damage to the statues follows a long history of vandalism in this area." He said there had been cans left lying around the statues and alcohol had been thrown at them, causing a chemical reaction on the concrete/ceramic material that left dark stains.
Mr Pothan said all the fragments of the broken arms had been recovered, but he did not know whether the statues would be repaired and left on site or removed.
The Northern Advocate, Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - By Rosemary Roberts
 sculpture
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