Rotorua sculpture symposium to commemorate WWI Gallipoli centenary

Art works from a sculpture symposium starting this weekend are to be installed along Rotorua’s Sulphur Lake Sculpture Trail in Government Gardens. The sculpture trail will form part of the city’s 2015 WWI Gallipoli commemorations.

The 2014 Sulphur Lakes Sculpture Symposium will run from 29 November to 12 December on the Rotorua Arts Village Green in Government Gardens.

Seventeen local and national sculptors will work in stone, wood or stainless steel, including guest artist Glebos Tkachenko who is travelling from Russia to take part.

Rotorua District Council (RDC) Creative Communities portfolio lead, Councillor Glenys Searancke, said the invited artists will be creating works that reflect the theme of ‘The Returning Soldier.’

She said the theme recognises the historic linkages of the tranquil Sulphur Lake area where convalescing soldiers relaxed while undergoing treatment at the old Sanatorium nearby, now home to the Rotorua Museum.

“It also coincides of course with next year’s 100th anniversary commemorations of the Gallipoli landings during the First World War; so it’s both a fitting theme and appropriate timing.”

“We’ll be encouraging local residents and visitors to come down to the Arts Village Green each day to see the sculptors at work and watch as their artworks take shape over the two weeks of the symposium,” said Mrs Searancke.

RDC Inner City Revitalisation portfolio lead, Councillor Karen Hunt, explained that after the symposium the finished sculptures would be installed along the Sulphur Lakes Sculpture Trail in Government Gardens, to form The Returning Soldier Exhibition.

“The pieces will remain on public display along the trail until the next sculpture symposium in two years’ time. They will complement artworks already installed in the inner city area as part of our partnership with the community to bring new vitality to the inner city and surrounding areas.

”The Sulphur Lakes Sculpture Trail will undoubtedly become another important drawcard for visitors to Rotorua, adding an extra dimension to the mix of attractions in Government Gardens,” said Ms Hunt.

Council community arts advisor and symposium coordinator, Marc Spijkerbosch, said one of the completed works would be selected for the Judges’ Award of $10,000, and the piece would then become a permanent part of the district’s public art collection.

He said the works would also be for sale at prices set by the artists, and any sold from the sculpture trail would be replaced with alternative pieces.

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