Moorings - new riverfront sculpture

Published on 11 December 2013

11 December 2013

A new sculpture with a strong relevance to the Whanganui River will be completed by the end of this week, after being donated to the district by artist Peter Nicholls for the downtown riverbank area.

Moorings, which is made of hardwood ironbark and steel bollards, has been gifted by Dunedin-based artist Peter Nicholls, formerly of Wanganui.

Each bollard represents one of the nine tributaries which flow in and out of the Whanganui River. The tributaries include Whakapapa, Kakahi, Ongarue, Ohura, Retaruke, Tangarakau, Mangapurua, Manganui o Te Ao and Ahuahu.

The ironbark used in the sculpture is estimated to be 200-years-old. It originated from Australia and was used to build Dunedin’s Terminal Wharf, which was demolished in the late 1970s.

Mayor Annette Main says the materials Peter Nicholls has used in his work help to tell the story of the Whanganui River and reflect on how industry has changed over the years.

“Peter has used a mix of contemporary and historical materials in this sculpture to represent the history of this area as a place of arrivals and departures, with the river central to this. His sculpture further enhances the riverfront area and I am greatly appreciative of Peter's generosity.”

The placement of each bollard represents the angle at which the tributary approaches the Whanganui River and each bollard is weighted to represent the size of the tributary.

The bollards are mounted on a brick circle and installed between the Waimarie dock and the ‘Bearings’ sculpture, which was also gifted to the district.

Peter Nicholls has a sculpture called Whanganui 1990,which also references the Whanganui River, in the Sarjeant Gallery’s permanent collection. It is made with logs gathered from the river and sea, with objects from Maori and colonial history embedded in it. Peter first exhibited at the Sarjeant Gallery in 1975.

Wanganui District Council’s Arts Facilitator Debbie Kapohe, who worked with the Public Art Steering Group to install Moorings, encourages people visit the bollards and enjoy the view of the river.

“The steering group is delighted to have Peter’s work on our riverfront. The Moorings sculpture will further enhance the riverbank area as a place where both locals and visitors can take time out to contemplate and enjoy both our natural and created environment.”