Sculpture to mark 20 years of Art Gallery

Part domestic bathroom, part civic fountain – a new artwork to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Art Gallery building has been unveiled.

The new sculpture by Yona Lee, called ‘Fountain in Transit’, connects Te Puna o Waiwhetū Christchurch Art Gallery visitors with the history and architecture the Gallery building.

“It seemed appropriate to celebrate the Gallery’s 20^th anniversary by generating more art, and we liked the idea of commissioning a site-specific artwork that would speak to the building’s history and architecture,” says Art Gallery Director Blair Jackson.

“We’re very grateful to the Te Puna o Waiwhetū Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation for getting behind this commission so enthusiastically, and to the generous supporters who have funded the purchase.

“We chose Yona Lee because we knew she would create a thoughtful work that would add something exciting to the experience of visiting this building.”

The Gallery’s name, Te Puna o Waiwhetū, was gifted by Kāi Tahu and can be translated as ‘water in which stars are reflected’. It also refers to a nearby tributary of that name and makes an association between the Gallery building and a puna, or wellspring, of creativity.

The curving lines of the building’s architecture represent the path taken by the Ōtākaro Avon River through the city. This is echoed in Lee’s sculpture, which combines a playful selection of everyday objects related to water and light; a bathtub and sink, shower curtains, shower heads, an umbrella, a wall of plants and a combination of fixed and festoon lighting.

Lee spent time in the Gallery watching how people used the space, becoming familiar with the building’s different entranceways and large glass façade and later bringing this sense of movement into her work.

“With light, movement and the sound of water, Lee’s site-specific sculpture brings a dynamic but tranquil energy,” Mr Jackson says.

“It’s fantastic to have it come to life, and a wonderful way to mark the anniversary.”

Yona Lee, who lives and works in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Seoul, South Korea, has an increasing international profile. Her distinctive sculptural style combines flowing arrangements of welded stainless-steel tubing with unexpected, but commonplace objects that connect us with the experience of everyday life.

Now part of the Gallery’s collection, Fountain in Transit will be on display publicly for the first time from 13 December.

Fountain in Transit was commissioned in 2023 by the Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Gallery building, Te Puna o Waiwhetū.