Spring Catalogue Exhibition 2009
Paul Dibble
Fantails in the Garden, 2009
cast bronze with Corten steel, 2020 x 1800 x 1000 mm
edition of 2
inscribed: Paul Dibble 2009
The fantail plays many significant roles in Maori mythology and has emerged as an emblem of New Zealand. Sculptor Paul Dibble is well known for his interpretations of Pacific symbols and imagery which he often combines with tenets of European art history to create a hybrid of both.
Dibble is one of few artists working in the medium of bronze in New Zealand, and among fewer who cast their works themselves. Although primarily known for his cast bronze works, in recent years he has incorporated elements of Corten-steel.
Dibble's fantails here have a lyrical quality as if they were captured from ink drawings, despite the density of their medium. Following Dibble's practice of combining local culture and Western art history, native birds are balanced on elegant perches which are reminiscent of minimalist sculptures of the mid-twentieth century.
A graceful tension created by the stressed surface of the Corten-steel and the smooth bronze, is emphasised by the comparison of the strong formal qualities of the bases, and the fluidity of the bird forms. It is the perfect balance of form, material and composition that lends Fantails in the Garden its striking efficacy. AJ
