FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Country’s leading bronze sculptor unveils new public art
Best known for his major installation, Southern Stand, the New Zealand War Memorial in Hyde Park Corner, London, Paul
Dibble is set to unveil his new exhibition of bronze-cast, endangered native species, this time in the heart of New
Zealand’s Capital.
Dibble will be in Wellington to open his exhibition entitled ‘The Dance’, at Page Blackie Gallery on 2 March 2009. Page
Blackie co-Directors Marcia Page and James Blackie say, "'The Dance' creates an opportunity for the people of Wellington
to be able to view a remarkable body of Paul Dibble sculptures. These works highlight the artist’s ongoing environmental
concerns, featuring bronze ballerinas dancing with kiwi, tuatara and huia."
Dibble has been at the forefront of New Zealand sculpture for the past thirty years, having created sculptures that
force difficult subject matter into public view. Art writer Gordon Brown writes, "An energetic, confident and highly
skilled sculptor, he balances an ongoing commitment to his community with an enduring interest in the diverse cultural
traditions informing New Zealand art practice. While his medium may be unashamedly traditional, his message is decidedly
contemporary."
Dibble has contributed to the development of New Zealand sculpture both through avant garde exhibitions in art spaces
and through the placement of major public commissions in the Capital, including Frank Kitt’s Park, Moore Wilson’s new
piazza and the entrance to Wellington International Airport. Dibble’s works feature in most public collections in New
Zealand. The show at the Page Blackie Gallery in Wellington will exhibit a new body of work made specifically for the
show.
The Dance, by Paul Dibble.
2 – 27 March, 2009
Page Blackie Gallery, 42 Victoria Street, Wellington.
ends