Thursday, August 29, 2013

Christchurch Art Scene All Bull

The bull is back!
The bronze sculpture of a bull standing on a grand piano was taken to
Incredibull...
Christchurch's heart, when it was displayed on an empty site last year.
People wandered around the bulls - set outside in a cleared lot surrounded by Christchurch's buildings being demolished - and all seemed to have smiles on their faces. Then, to go up to the 2nd floor of the Ng Gallery in the only remaining building on the other side of the road, with the room swelling with sound and that amazing piano, and look down on the bulls amongst the devastation, it was impressive!
Now the bull has returned, to support a fundraising campaign by the Christchurch Art Gallery Trust, to buy the sculpture and put it on permanent display.
Michael Parekowhai's On First Looking Into Chapman's Homer will be on display outside the Arts Centre for the next month. The public fundraising campaign aims to raise $200,000 towards the purchase, and donations are coming in from around the world.
Three bull sculptures were commissioned for the 54th La Biennale di Venezia (Venice) in 2011. When they were displayed atop grand pianos on Madras St., Christchurch in July 2012, about 50,000 people visited them.
Arts Centre director Andre Lovatt says the bull is a great way to attract people back to the city.

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