15/06/2026
Reposted from STARKWHITE Martin Basher’s ‘Big Flowers for a Wild City’ is the tenth commission for the Colin Post Four Plinths, Wellington Sculpture Trust’s biennial sculpture space located on the Wellington waterfront next to Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand.
Basher’s four vibrant sculptures depicting vases of flowers in high-key colour low-relief will be on view until 2028. Stretching almost 9m above the ground, these four monumental works are the largest work for both the artist, and the plinths. “When working with such a demanding location, says Basher, ‘I had to tackle the scale head-on…the work needed to be as big and bold, generous and tough as its environs’ Built from steel and epoxied ply, the sculptures contribute a dynamic explosion of colour on the largely monochrome plaza, and are visible from right across the inner harbour.
Basher who spent more than two decades living in New York City, relocated back to Aotearoa with a young family post-covid. His return let him see the city of his childhood with fresh eyes, and the Big Flowers were conceieved of as a gesture of love for the city. ‘This wild, dynamic town deserved a bouquet’ says the artist. ‘It’s not remotely possible to match the harbour for sheer beauty, but with these works I really wanted to give a little back to this amazing city”
Basher’s ‘Wild Flowers for a Wild City’ is on view through March 2028.
He will present a new exhibition of paintings with the Starkwhite, open from Saturday 20 June.
Wellington Sculpture Trust Public Art Wellington Powder Coating Services Martin Basher
