# Old Story: New Subject – Public Art

- Link: https://arttravel.co.nz/2017/02/02/old-story-new-subject-public-art/
- Published: 2017-02-02T12:02:47+13:00
- Author: Glen Armstrong

![](https://arttravel.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/IMG_1605-e1485989489952-200x300.
jpg)

Wandering along the Auckland waterfront this week I rediscovered Molly MaCallister’s
waterfront sculpture of a Maori warrior.

Here is an excerpt from an Art New Zealand article on the sculpture from a 1982 
article:

_‘To aggravate matters she then had to take the backlash from the public, many of
whom criticised the proportions of the statue, complaining in particular that the
head was too small for the body (it was likened to ‘a pimple on a pumpkin’). ‘_

[Full article here](http://www.art-newzealand.com/Issues21to30/molly.htm)

One wonders what the carry on will be when the newly completed state house based
sculpture by Michael Parekowhai opens next week, given it has already provided a
decent amount of [public comment](http://m.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=11678132).

Judge it for yourself at the end of Queens Wharf from mid February.