Booth sculpture nears completion

Construction of the Chris Booth sculpture on the Kerikeri Domain at Kerikeri is expected to be completed this week.

The sculpture in boulder columns with bronze elements is one of the most significant public artworks to have been commissioned anywhere in New Zealand.

It will stand over 1l metres high with a base diameter of over 16 metres, featuring five stone columns, over 100 stone boulders, bronze elements up to three metres tall, and a cascading water feature.

The final construction phase is scheduled for completion on Thursday (March 26) when the final bronze feature will be lifted by crane to the top of what will be the highest of the four boulder columns.

The work was made possible by a $500,000 donation from an anonymous local benefactor.

Chris Booth is known worldwide for his unusual works featuring natural stone, including the Echo can de Veluwe in the Netherlands, the entrance portal to Albert Park at Auckland, the Nga uri o Hinetuparimaunga at the Hamilton Gardens, and numerous public and private commissions in the Far North including the Rainbow Warrior Memorial at Matauri Bay.