Minister unveils Hawke’s Bay sculpture

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry today unveils a public sculpture in Napier called “The Gold of the Kowhai”.

The gilded work, by New Zealand sculptor Paul Dibble, stands close to four metres high and is cast in bronze with 24-carat gold leaf.

“This is a resplendent representation of New Zealand’s unofficial national flower, by one of our leading sculptors. It has found an ideal home outside MTG Hawke’s Bay,” says Ms Barry. 

The title, “The Gold of the Kowhai”, comes from an 1898 poem by William Pember Reeves.

“I acknowledge the generosity of the MTG Foundation Trust in supporting this work. It highlights the significant role of philanthropic support for the arts.”