EachoftheseCNC-edpolystyreneparts
is mouldedandcastinaluminium,then
weldedtogetheroverthesteelsupport
armature.Weldingaluminium,fillingholes
andfaultsofthecastingprocessis very
tricky,especiallyaswewereaimingfor
a smooth,seamlessfinish.Theraised
aluminiumweldsaregrounddownand
theentirefigureis polishedsmooth.
A specialcradlewasmadetoenable
thesculpturetobeworkedonitsside,
andturnedtoenableaccesstoallsides.
It lookeda bitlikea rotisseriechicken.
Theworkwasthenpaintedandsealed,
whichsoundssimple,buteachcolour
requiredmaskingofalltheunpainted
parts – the stripes on the shirt were
challenging.Theworkwasthencrated
andshippedtoNewZealandwhere
a foundationhadbeenduginPotters
Parktoreceivethesculpture.
A teamofexpertriggersandcarpenters
workedtotruckthesculpturetothe
park,liftit andslowlyputit inplace,like
a shuttledockingattheinternational
spacestation.Wouldthedrawingsand
foundationsinAucklandmatchthe
Brisbane-drilledsupportholesinthe
sculpture’sfeet?Therewasnoroomfor
error.Thetwoconnectedperfectly.
Anincrediblelevelofexpertise,skilland
artistrywentintomaking‘BoyWalking’.
Eachstepneededcareanddedication,
and that’s exactly what it received.Havetherebeenanynotableresponses
to‘BoyWalking’?Theresponsefromthe
publichasbeenoverwhelminglypositive.
A commonresponseis thatchildrenrun
excitedlytothesculpture,grabitsleg
andgiveit a bighug, then sit on its giant
sneakeredfeet.PhotographyRebekah RobinsonHOME NEW ZEALAND 27