‘Home’ is a supersized bird’s nest made from galvanised tie wire and found materials, sitting at approximately 1m diameter and 60cm deep.
It features as part of Te Atatu’s Harbourview Sculpture Trail on from 8–30 March.
‘Home’ celebrates the natural fauna found within the region, specifically the nest of the rare, native fern bird, Kotata. It sits nestled within and woven into the reeds at the end of the small peninsula jutting into the pond. Not immediately obvious, viewers are meant to ‘discover’ it as they traverse the path.
For many years I have been fascinated by birds’ nests, not only for their inherent beauty and simplicity, but also for their intricately woven circular structures, made from the process of repetitively turning and the application of bodily pressure. I have attempted to mimic these actions in many of my own works whether they are drawn, painted, or three-dimensional.
To discover a nest has long been a source of wonder and joy and takes you back to childhood. A nest is a home, a place carefully constructed to fulfil our needs, a haven and a place of refuge and safety, no matter how seemingly precarious.
This particular nest took several months to complete, and was a challenging, physical process. The bits of wire often cut and tore at my body and clothes. The work is heavy and spike-ridden.
