Biography
Paul Dibble
b. 1943
Lives and works in Palmerston North, New Zealand
From a foundry in Palmerston North, Paul Dibble casts his work with the help of a small team of highly skilled assistants. His sculptures vary in size from 350 millimetre high maquettes to large works of over 5.5 metres in height. The casting processes that Dibble has used for his more recent works are based on two methods; ceramic shell, lost wax casting and sand casting. The human figure, objects drawn from contemporary life, and the history of New Zealand and the Pacific form the subjects of his work. These objects and figures form fragments of many narratives. Ideas which begin as beautiful fluid line drawings are worked and reworked to a point of perfect balance before being modelled and cast. Highlights of his career include major survey exhibitions and the commission of The New Zealand Hyde Park Corner Memorial in London.
Education
1963-67 BFA (Hons, sculpture) Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland.
2004 Awarded an New Zealand Order of Merit
2007 Honorary Doctorate received from Massey University, Palmerston North
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2007 In the Sticks, Black Barn Gallery, Havelock North, New Zealand
2006 Recent Bronze Sculpture, Martin Browne Fine Arts, Sydney, Australia
2006 Unfolding Model, Gow Langsford Gallery
2005 Martin Browne Fine Arts, Sydney, Australia
Whitford Fine Arts, London, United Kingdom
Building on Modernism, Black Barn Gallery, Havelock North, New Zealand
2004 Soft Geometrics, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
Soft Geometrics, Bowen Galleries, Wellington, New Zealand
Gorge Rd Gallery, Queenstown, New Zealand
Dibble, Black Barn Gallery, Havelock North, New Zealand
2003 Dibble Sculpture Exhibition, Gorge Rd Gallery, Queenstown and Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand.
Down the Line, Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Looking for Australia, Gow Langsford Gallery, Sydney, Australia.
Around the Firth of Thames, Bowen Galleries, Wellington, New Zealand
2002 Where the Owl Sits on the Water - The Tableux of Paul Dibble, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
Dibble Down Under, Lombardii Winery with Bowen Galleries at Havelock North during the Hawkes Bay Wine Festival
2001 Paul Dibble Survey Exhibition, Manawatu Art Gallery
2000 Unfinished Business, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
Balanced Gestures Bowen Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
Opposites Attract, Michael Carr Fine Art, Sydney, Australia
1999 Works from 1999, Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch, New Zealand
Revisiting Formalism, Bowen Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
1998 Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
1997 Drips and Drops, Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Brooke/Gifford Gallery, Christchurch, New Zealand
Bowen Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
1996 Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
City Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
1995 Made in New Zealand, Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North and Bowen Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
1994 Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
1993 Bowen Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
1992 Pacific Monarch, Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Stories from the Hinterland, Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
1991 Recent Editions, Bowen Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
From Reason and Myth, Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, New Zealand
1990 Bowen Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
1989 Hawkes Bay Cultural Centre, Hastings, New Zealand
Fisher Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, New Zealand
1988 Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt as part of the International Festival of the Arts, New Zealand
1984 Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, New Zealand
1983 Wairarapa Arts Centre, Masterton, New Zealand
1981 Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, New Zealand
1979 Studio Exhibition, Newmarket, Auckland, New Zealand
1978 Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, New Zealand
1976 Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North, New Zealand
1972 Barry Lett Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
1971 Barry Lett Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
Selected Group Exhibitions
2007-2008 Stoneleigh Sculpture in the Gardens, Auckland Botanic Gardens, Auckland
2007 12th Annual LA Art Show, Los Angeles, USA
2006 Melbourne Art Fair 2006, Melbourne, Australia
Birds: The Art of New Zealand Bird Life, Pataka Gallery, Porirua, New Zealand
Sculpture by the Sea Bondi Beach, Sydney and Perth, Australia
2005 Miami Art Fair, Florida, USA
Sculpture on the Gulf, Waiheke Island, Auckland
2004 Melbourne Art Fair 2004, Melbourne, Australia
Shapeshifters, Lower Hutt during the Wellington Arts Festival
Sculpture Exhibition, Bowen Galleries, Wellington
Sculpture 2004, Gow Langsford Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2003 Sculpture on the Gulf, Waiheke Island, Auckland
Miami Art Fair, Florida, USA
2002 Changing Spaces, Civic Square, Wellington
2001 Catalogue Exhibition, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland
2000 Sculpture by the Sea Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia
1999 Gow Langsford Gallery @ Span Gallery, Melbourne, Australia
Bowen Gallery, Wellington
1998 Australian Contemporary Art Fair 6, Melbourne, Australia, c/- Gow Langsford Gallery, New Zealand
(Re)visioning the Real, Lopdell House, Auckland; Robert McDougall Gallery, Christchurch; Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui
1997 Christchurch Arts Festival, New Zealand
1996 NZ Real, Milford Galleries, Dunedin, New Zealand
1995 H2O, Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt, New Zealand
1994 Christmas Show, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
Flowers, Bowen Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand
Museum of Art and History, Rotorua, New Zealand
Australian Contemporary Art Fair 4, Melbourne, Australia, c/- Gow Langsford and Bowen Galleries, New Zealand
1993 Art Fair, Korea, c/- Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
1992 A Breath of Fresh Art, The Bathhouse, Rotorua, New Zealand
1989 Gateways and Lintels, Fisher Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand
1984 Art in Dunedin
1982 Art in Boxes, Manawatu Art Gallery
Hansells Sculpture Exhibition, Wairarapa Arts Centre, Masterton and toured nationally
1980 Hansells Sculpture Exhibition, Wairarapa Arts Centre
1978 Hansells Sculpture Exhibition, Wairarapa Arts Centre
1976 Mildura, Australia
1974 Selected with New Zealand sculptors as part of the Mildura Sculpture Exhibition, Mildura, Australia
Selected Collections
Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand, Wellington
Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt
Hawkes Bay Cultural Centre, Hastings
Robert McDougall Art Gallery and Annex, Christchurch
Te Manawa (formerly Manawatu Art Gallery), Palmerston North
Massey University, Palmerston North
Massey University, Albany, Auckland
Saatchi and Saatchi, Wellington
Colenso, Auckland
Colenso, Wellington
James Wallace Trust Collection, Auckland
Lambton Quay Harbour Board
Selected Commissions
2007 Second sculpture for Lindisfarne College, Hastings
Sculpture commission memorial to John Britten for the Dyslexia Experience Project in Christchurch.
2006 The New Zealand Hyde Park Corner Memorial in association with John Hardwick-Smith from Athfield architects, opened on Armistice Day, November 11th by the Queen and attended by the Prime Minister of Britain and of New Zealand and by many members of the Royal Family.
2005 Sculpture for Waikato University to celebrate their 40th anniversary.
2004 Sculpture for Christensen Estate Winery, Waiheke Island.
Sculpture for UCol, Polytechnical Institute, Palmerston North
2002 Fourth sculpture constructed for The Point, Auckland, Residential development.
2000 Lindisfarne College, Hastings, New Zealand
Commissioned by IMOVE/Wellington Sculpture Trust, to produce sculpture for Wellington Airport round-about, Wellington
1999 Bruce Mason Centre, Takapuna, Auckland
Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, large wall piece, Auckland
Wanganui Collegiate School, Wanganui
Three large sculptures constructed for The Point, Auckland, Residential development, part of the America’s Cup development.
1996 Major piece purchased by the Robert McDougall Gallery to be mounted outside the Gallery entrance.
Commissioned to produce a large lintel, 3m high for the new Palmerston North library.
Work made for the Moore family, Wellington.
1995 Commissioned by the Sturtevant family to make a large commemorative sculpture, Palmerston North.
Steel relief sculpture designed and made for the Globe Theatre, Palmerston North
Selected to prepare drawings for a large lintel spanning some 24 feet for the Auckland Casino project
Reconstructed an old installation piece originally made in the 70’s. The work is made in painted Perspex, feathers, plastic sheeting with aluminium framing and pumped dyed water, circulating which was commissioned, purchased and exhibited in early 1995, by the Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North titled Keeping Alive Ancient Dreams of Freedom Through Flight
1994 The Tuna’s Song for Michael Camp QC, Wellington
Bronze work for Dunedin Police Station
A work celebrating the Centennial of the Palmerston North Hospital
1993 Large work made and installed for the Dohmel family, Vienna, Austria
1991 Centennial Trophy for the Hamilton AMP Show
Commissioned to make Pacific Monarch 4.5m high bronze for outside the Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North
1990 Commissioned to design a monumental work for the Aotea Centre (two 5 metre high figurative works cast in bronze). The pieces were designed to have movable parts and work as a tidal clock to record levels of the tide in both Auckland harbours. Cast bronze models were made.
1981 Selected to produce models for a large scale work for the new State Insurance Building, Palmerston North
1970-77 Completed many religious sculptured commissions ( crucifixes, tabernacles and candlesticks) for architect James Hackshaw, for churches, private chapels and Catholic schools
1972 Dr Neville Hogg, Dargaville
Grants
1985 QEII Arts Council of NZ
1979 QEII Arts Council of NZ
Residencies
1987-88 Dowse Art Museum during International Festival of the Arts
Selected Publications
New Zealand Sculpture A History
By Michael Dunn, Auckland University Press, 2002, p. 95-97
Contemporary NZ Art 3
By Elizabeth Caughey and John Gow, David Bateman publishers, 2002, p. 38-41.
NZ Listener April 13, 2002
Article by Lindsay Rabbitt titled ‘Behind Every Strong Woman; The Hard Graft of Manawatu Sculptor Paul Dibble’, p. 52-53.
Radio Programme
By Mark Amery. Featured on National radio on March 24, 2002.
Paul Dibble
By Jane Vial, A. K. C. Petersen, Gordon H. Brown, Dorothea Pauli, Alexa Johnson and Fran Dibble, David Bateman Publishers, 2002, reprinted in 2006 with an extra chapter.
Big Art Trip Television Series
The episode featuring Paul Dibble appeared on TV 1 on Saturday July 28, 2001.
Another 100 NZ Artists
By Warwick Brown, Godwit Publishing, 1996, p. 28.
Art NZ Number 80 Spring 1996
Article by Gregory O’Brien titled ‘Free / Standing Paul Dibble in Wellington’, p. 48-50.
NZ Listener June 29-July 5 1992
Article by Debra Sloane titled ‘Inner Strength’, p.44-45.
Intent to Settle
Documentary as part of the Arts programme series.
Appeared on TV1 in 1992.
Please Touch
By Peter Cape, Collins publishing, 1980, p. 50-52.
Selected Catalogues
Dancing with the Devil, 2007
Looking for Australia, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland 2003
Around the Firth of Thames, Bowen Galleries, Wellington 2003
Waitakaruru, where the owl sits on the water, The Tableaux of Paul Dibble, Gow Langsford Gallery, 2002
Survey Exhibition Paul Dibble, Manawatu Art Gallery, 2001
Paul Dibble, Gow Langsford Gallery, 1998