In celebration of the upcoming Aotearoa Art Fair, Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour, in collaboration with Gow Langsford, has erected a sculpture by one of New Zealand’s leading cultural figures — the late artist and sculptor Paul Dibble.
Stories of a Lost Land is a large-scale piece emblematic of the artist’s most loved subject matter: native birds, flowers, and the kōwhai tree.
The moving piece, first seen in a solo showing of Dibble’s work at Gow Langsford in 2023, is both joyful and sombre, bringing to life in striking detail the beauty of the huia — a famously regal species of bird driven to extinction by early European settlers. Here, the birds are showcased as a pair (thought to mate for life) singing duets perched upon the flowering branches of a kōwhai tree. The work reflects both the beauty and mythological significance of the huia, and the circumstances of its extinction, captured in Dibble’s majestic bronze.
Among the last pieces produced in the artist’s lifetime, Stories of a Lost Land is a sensational example of Dibble’s work — bringing to life in stunning detail his reverence for native Aotearoa. Don’t miss your chance to view this beautiful representation of our native flora and fauna, on display in Market Square until Friday 26th April.
