16 August 2005 Water Droplet Unveiling a Baptism for Christchurch Sculptor

Christchurch sculptor Neil Dawson today (16 Aug.) has attended the first-ever unveiling of one of his works. Until now his sculptures have never been "unveiled" because they have been either too high, up in the air as "flying" creations, or too large, such as the Chalice in Cathedral Square, to be veiled.

Neil was at Lincoln University for the unveiling of H₂O, a moderately sized water droplet constructed of stainless steel with finely interwoven, laser cut, patterns based on clouds formations.

The sculpture is the latest addition to Lincoln University's Art Collection and it replaces, through an insurance pay out, an earlier Neil Dawson work on the campus, the "flying" sculpture Nor'west Arch.

That sculpture, which hung 30 metres in the air between two buildings, was destroyed in a violent wind storm. Now H₂O has descended on the Lincoln campus and it was unveiled by the University's Chancellor Tom Lambie in the presence of a large gathering of staff.

"Canterbury's nor'wester took the previous sculpture's life, but now we have been given something more enduring, more lasting," said Mr Lambie.

H₂O was specifically designed and created by the artist for its Lincoln University garden site.

"This work is a way of celebrating the source of all things – water," said Mr Dawson. "It is constructed around cloud patterns because without clouds we would be without water, and without water we would be without life".

Mr Dawson acknowledged the contribution of “superb metalworker” John Roulston who did the cutting and welding for H₂O and the help of his brother-in-law Colin McLeod who did the computer work for the design. He said that his creations always reflected the contribution of many others. For example, over 100 contributed to the creation of the Chalice, he said.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand