Bason Botanic Gardens reveals new sculpture

New statue and seat by artist Ivan Vostinar at Bason Botanic Gardens. Photo / Bevan Conley.

The Bason Botanic Gardens has unveiled a new sculpture.

Artist Ivan Vostinar said the 4.5-metre-high figure was his biggest sculpture yet.

“I’ve always wanted to do something [of] this scale,” he said.

Primarily a ceramic sculptor, this was Vostinar’s first time using mortar, because it is a more solid product.

“Clay is a beautiful medium, but there are size limitations, and because it’s quite weak, you can’t really have it in a public location.”

He said the brief was to create an interactive sculpture on the hill behind the Gardens’ lake.

The figure faces the lake below and is accompanied by a long concrete bench, also made by Vostinar, for visitors to join the sculpture in looking at the view.

“I wanted the sense there was some other presence here, and that it was something peaceful.”

Taking a walk around the gardens was Whanganui local Simone Bettridge, who said the sculpture was inviting her to sit on the seat and take in the view.

“It’s like you’ve come across a little friend who’s looking over the lake with you,” Bettridge said.

“As I walked up the hill I could see it, and you know it’s a figure, but as you get closer you can see it’s leaning back, and it feels very serene.”

Ivan Vostinar created the frame for his sculpture at home before completing it on-site at the Bason Gardens.

Vostinar said working with mortar was very different to clay.

“I’m used to clay where if you spritz it with water, you can work on it for days.

“But with concrete, there’s a certain amount of time to get it right before it dries.”

He said it took him a week to make the understructure at his home, followed by two weeks at the final site of the sculpture to carry out the concrete work.

Bason Botanic Gardens trust member Terry Dowdeswell said the location of the sculpture was chosen by him and his fellow trust members.

“We put it on the lake walkway so people would see it and want to explore.”

Dowdeswell said the completion of the sculpture marked the completion of infrastructure at the gardens.

“The framework for the gardens and planting is now complete, and it’s not the end of it, but it’s a bit of a statement to say we’ve finished the digging.”

Dowdeswell said the sculpture was privately funded, and is the ninth sculpture at the Bason Botanic Gardens.