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Old 28-05-2005, 08:22   #33
lettie
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Back up North

After leaving Christchurch we headed back up to Picton for our return trip to the North Island on the Interislander. We were sad to leave the beautiful South Island behind and becoming very aware that we were nearing the end of our holiday. After another night in Wellington we drove North and arrived in New Plymouth.

We were just staying for the night here in order to break up the drive to Auckland. New Plymouth is a nice town. We took a stroll along the foreshore which has all been recently renovated and is a lovely coastal walk. The centrepiece of the foreshore is the 'Wind Wand.'

The Wind Wand is a 45m sculpture designed by NZ artist Len Lye (1901-1980). Len Lye spent his career in film making and was enamoured by the art of motion and design of kinetic sculptures. The Wind Wand is the first full sized realisation of one of his outdoor kinetic sculptures and was opened on 31/12/99 to celebrate the millennium. After some initial problems, the Wind Wand was removed and re-installed in July 2001.

A modern looking sculpture, it can bend and oscillate in the wind and it kinda fits in here. At night the top of the Wind Wand glows so that it is still visible. The collection of Len Lye's films and artworks can be viewed at New Plymouth's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.

After our walk, we found a bar and sat outside in the evening sun with a couple of beers before eating and retiring to bed.

Pics of an evening view of Wellington and the Wind Wand....
Attached Images
File Type: jpg wellington.jpg (83.1 KB, 10 views)
File Type: jpg wind wand.jpg (78.3 KB, 12 views)
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