lalique’s dream, 2020 - 2024
Lalique’s Dream was commissioned as a joint project by Whanganui District Council and Horizons Regional Council. Situated on the corner of Rangiora and Karaka Street in Castlecliff, Whanganui. Covering over 10 square metres of glass, using a bus shelter as a canvas for art bids to create a more beautiful environment for locals and visitors alike, moving art out of the gallery and into the community in a practical and magical way.
The artwork and techniques used to create it reflect its immediate environment and link to Whanganui’s cultural and artistic history. The plants and insects shown live and thrive in the immediate surrounding area, while the design reflects the cities long history with the Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts movement. Mural engraving, the rare technique used to create them, was invented by John Hutton, a Whanganui born artist. Artist Jennifer Conway learnt the technique from John and his son Warwick Hutton in the 1970’s, and she passed knowledge of it on to me in a mentorship period in 2017.
From left to right, the images depict a Ngaio tree, Convolvulus Hawk Moth and shore bindweed, Pingao and a female katipo spider, a New Zealand giant dragonfly, male and female spinifex and a Toe Toe plant.
The project took roughly 14 weeks to complete, and was installed on Friday 3 July, and blessed and celebrated as a new artwork and piece of infrastructure on Saturday 4th July 2020.
