Spirit Of Napier Rises Again

Napier has got its spirit back.

The iconic Spirit of Napier has reclaimed her commanding position on Marine Parade, replacing the original gunmetal bronze statue which was too badly deteriorated to merit repair.

Cast from silicon bronze, the new model will better tolerate the seaside environment, weathering salt-laden winds just as Napier’s Pania and Trawlermen statues do further north on the same stretch of coastline.

The sculpture was hoisted back into position atop a 3.6m tall column at the southern end of the foreshore reserve. As hoped, her restoration precedes the wave of tourists expected in Napier for the Rugby World Cup.

The pedestal base was readied for the return of the reincarnated Spirit of Napier with a repaint of the surrounding pond and column. While the new sculpture looks as aspirational as ever, it is lighter than the original which was found to be half filled with concrete.

Designed by Hungarian-born Auckland artist Frank Szirmay, the naked form of an upward-reaching young woman represents Napier rising from the ashes of the 1931 earthquake.

Inspired by sculpture characteristic of the Art Deco period, the original was funded from a bequest made from the estate of Dr Thomas Gilray, a former superintendant at Napier Hospital, and a donation by Sir Lew Harris of Brooklands Station.

It was erected in 1971 and officially unveiled the following year.