Wellington’s fern orb returns to Te Ngkau Civic Square after more than a year – Stuff.co.nz

Wellingtons fern orb returns to public view stronger than ever after a long hiatus.

Neil Dawsons Ferns 2 was initially taken down May 2019 because of metal fatigue but had seen delays in its return to Te Ngkau Civic Square.

Wellington City Council spokesperson Richard MacLean said lockdown played a role in this delay, as did the pieces redesign to make it less fragile.

The hope was fewer alterations would be needed going forward.

READ MORE:* Civic Square fern orb turns up in industrial depot after being hidden for years * Len Lye's former assistant says artist would have been 'deeply hurt' by broken sculpture* New Ferns 'orb' sculpture to be raised in Wellington's Civic Square

MONIQUE FORD/Stuff

Ferns 2 has been redesigned to prevent it from being taken down again.

Ferns 2 was already a replacement for the original commission, Ferns, that sustained significant wind damage and had to be removed permanently. The original Ferns sculpture was last seen in an industrial zone in Grenada North.

Weve had to do serious thinking about redesigning the piece to the situation of pulling it down repeatedly, said MacLean.

The replacement and reinstallation was covered by insurance.

MONIQUE FORD/Stuff

Neil Dawsons fern sculpture has been reinstalled after it was repeatedly taken down for repairs.

It took three cranes and a cherry picker to secure the orb in position at 10am on Tuesday.

Wellington Sculpture Trust chair Sue Elliot said it has been a highly anticipated return.

Elliot was thrilled to see the sculpture back, especially at the start of summer, when Wellingtonians could make the most of its presence.

Wellington City Council/Stuff

Te Ngkau Civic Squares fern orb has been restored after metal fatigue degradation.

We originally raised all the money for the commission. The Trust has its heart and soul in this piece.

Len Lyes Water Whirler sculpture would also be returning to the waterfront on Thursday, October 15.

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The broken Len Lye Water Whirler, worth an estimated $300,000, sits next to its base on Wellingtons waterfront in 2018.

The work was vandalised in 2018, and returned in June 2019, however the replacement did not function correctly and was taken down once more last summer for further repairs.

The piece was originally commissioned for $300,000 and its replacement was not covered by insurance, yet Elliot could not say how much the overall cost was.

Ross Giblin

Len Lye's waterfront sculpture, Waterwhirler, has been repaired twice after it was vandalised.

I dont like to use the word iconic but these sculptures are iconic and have come from two of the best public sculptors that have ever existed.

The council had put up signs to deter anyone tempted to touch the sculpture.

We are depending on people behaving themselves, MacLean said.

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Wellington's fern orb returns to Te Ngkau Civic Square after more than a year - Stuff.co.nz