Bung, fibreglass, stainless steel, chain and anchor.
2 metre diameter, .7m depth.
Bung was initially designed to sit beside a natural rock basin in the ocean, beside Waiheke Island. It was part of the Sculpture on the Gulf outdoor sculpture show on Waiheke Island in 2007, which has been renamed Headland: Sculpture on the Gulf.
Bung alludes to the amusing but impossible notion of attempting to plug or control the vast ocean in which it lies. Although at first appearing frivolous it also provides a discourse around island life, in particular the availability of drinking water on the island during summer. The local residents are dependent on tank water and are conscious of the need to preserve, control and plug their precious resource over the hot, dry moths of summer. Although these are serious issues Bung's main purpose is to provide humour and light relief, by surprising visitors on finding a large domestic object floating in the open sea.
FYI WARNING...Your bung has been publically plagerised by "Helen Jean 2011" in Kerikeri (september 2011) floating in river by stone store outside pear tree restaurant. Featured in Northern Advocate, Wednesday, September 14, 2011; Northern News : September 21st 2011, Page 7; on websites eg Pear Tree "If you’ve seen the papers recently, you’ll be aware that we have a new floating sculpture in front of the restaurant. Artist Helen Jean, (she does all the paintings that are on display in the Pear Tree), decided that every basin needs a plug and so she built one!"; and on some blogs eg Our Wee Farm: Kerikeri Basin
ReplyDeleteourweefarm.blogspot.com/2011/10/kerikeri-basin.html "10 Oct 2011 – There's also a great art installation down in the inlet - a giant plug! It's been done by a local artist called Helen Jean and we think it's totally ..."
It's disappointing and am sorry to send you this news but I thought it right you should know. JD