Michael Parekowhai
Aotearoa New Zealand, b.1968
Ngā Ariki Rotoawe,
Ngāti Whakarongo,
Māori
Chapman's Homer
- 2011
- Bronze, stainless steel
- Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation Collection, purchased 2013 with the assistance of Christchurch City Council through the Public Art Advisory Group, Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation and Westpac, IAG, Ben and Penny Gough, Chartwell Trust, Ravenscar Trust, Friends of Christchurch Art Gallery, Grant and Sandra Close, Dame Jenny Gibbs, Kevin and Joanna Hickman, Stewart and Nati Kaa, Tony Kerridge, McFadden family, Andrew and Jenny Smith, Chapman Tripp, Colliers, Meadow Mushrooms, MWH Ltd, Pace Project Management, The Press; and with additional thanks for contributions from 1,074 other big-hearted individuals and companies
- 2510 x 2710 x 1750mm
- L03/2014:a-c
Location: Forecourt
Tags: animals, black (color), bulls (animals), furniture, monochrome, musical instruments, pianos, stools (seating furniture)
When 'Chapman’s Homer' was exhibited at the edge of the devastated central city in 2012, it was positioned between ruin and rebuild just outside the cordon in an empty lot on Madras Street. Our bull stood beside his seated brother while a red carved Steinway piano was played upstairs in an adjacent building. Over thirty days, Parekowhai’s work caught the public imagination as a symbol of the resilience of local people. At once strong and refined, a brutal force of nature and a dynamic work of culture, Chapman’s Homer resonated with local audiences. Subsequently, a public fundraising campaign kept the bull in Christchurch.
Chapman’s Homer was first exhibited in Venice, where Parekowhai represented New Zealand at the 2011 Venice Biennale. It travelled to Christchurch after being shown at the Musée de quai Branly in Paris. Over the past year, we’ve shown it at a number of sites around the city as part of the Gallery's Outer Spaces programme, including Worcester Boulevard, Placemakers Riccarton, New Regent Street, and most recently at Christchurch International Airport. And now the bull is back – standing strong in its permanent home at Te Puna o Waiwhetū Christchurch Art Gallery, welcoming visitors to our reopening exhibitions.
(December 2015)
Exhibition History
Related reading: Foundation, ANZ Private, Five Great Works
Notes
Five years on
Today is the fifth anniversary of the February earthquake of 2011 which devastated Christchurch. During that time, we and our city have been through so many different phases.
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Chapman’s Homer at Placemakers Riccarton
Following three months outside City Council's building on Worcester Boulevard – Christchurch's favourite bull can now be found at Placemakers Riccarton! That may sound a bit unusual, but these are strange times.
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Complete bull
It's hard to disagree with Melanie Camp's observation that making artistic decisions is something that we can never avoid.
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Public 'Back the Bull' campaign launches today
Today sees the launch of a major initiative that the organisers believe could in time become a key landmark for Christchurch.
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Homer>Chapman> Keats>Parekowhai
For the record, here is the text of the poem by John Keats (1795-1821), written in 1816, entitled On first looking into Chapman's Homer.
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Les taureaux en hiver
On Valentine's Day in Paris, He Korero Purakau mo te Awanui o Te Motu Story of a New Zealand River, the third of Michael Parekowhai's pianos from the Venice Biennale, was unveiled to the public.
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Parekowhai in Paris
Fresh from its recent success at the Venice Biennale, two works from Michael Parekowhai's project On First Looking into Chapman's Homer have travelled to Paris.
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Going to Venice
When I mentioned Neil Semple would be in Venice for the dismantling of Michael Parekowhai's On first looking into Chapman's Homer, I was a bit shy to say that I would be there too!
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Touring On first looking into Chapman’s Homer
Michael Parekowhai's extraordinary sculptural installation On first looking into Chapman's Homer, New Zealand's official presentation at this year's Venice Biennale, finished its triumphant outing at this amazing exhibition on 23 October.
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Venice Biennale
It's taken me a while to write about Venice, but the show's still on and the first week of the 2011 Biennale in this memorable and surprising city still fresh in my mind. I was New Zealand's commissioner again and it was a proud moment for us all as visitors poured in – and stayed to listen to the continuous concert – during the Vernissage (the opening few days, in 2011 from 30 May-3 June) of the longest-standing and most prestigious international art exhibition.
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JH & JG on NZ at VB
Watch Gallery director Jenny Harper discussing Michael Parekowhai's work at the 2011 Venice Biennale.
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Philadelphia
Last Friday I visited the Philadelphia Art Museum for the day. PAM was founded 135 years ago (so is 10 years older than Dunedin Public Art Gallery and Auckland Art Gallery). But what a huge difference a great history of philanthropy and generous gifts in kind makes.
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My Sister My Self by Michael Parekowhai
This article first appeared with the headline Top-stair sculpture in The Press on 30 April 2008.
If you've done your first year art history, you're probably familiar with the story of How Sculpture Fell from Grace.
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Win flights for four to Singapore!
That’s right! Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū will get
you and three others to Singapore with Singapore Airlines for FREE.
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A Bird in the Hand
The Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation is honoured to assist the Gallery in acquiring Bill Hammond's Bone Yard Open Home for its permanent collection. But, we need your help!
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Greystone Wines x Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū Art Wine
New Zealand art legends Gretchen Albrecht and Shane Cotton have collaborated with Greystone Wines to produce forty-eight magnums of their award-winning 2017 Pinot Noir. Each bottle comes in a handmade (and signed!) box so you can choose to save it or swill it.
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Introducing... Limited edition art-wine and art-beer
Don't you love it when your two favourite things come together?
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DO Donate
Under the leadership of new director Blair Jackson, Christchurch Art Gallery Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū has extended its focus to become a catalyst for ambitious creativity in the city, collaborating with artists to make new and adventurous works.
We have bold ambitions for our future collaborations and invite you to make them possible by investing in the creativity of New Zealand artists and our city.
Art Do 2018 is your opportunity to support the Gallery’s mission. Every dollar raised will go directly to the art – not a cent spared. Here’s how you can be part of it...
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Thirsty? Drink Up This Limited Edition
Te Puna o Waiwhetū Christchurch Art Gallery is launching its exclusive new art-wine and an art-beer at Art Do 2018 – the new gallery gala.
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Meet The Artists Who Will Be Entertaining You At Art Do 2018…
Six of our favourite artists (and our very own boss) will be playing you chilled beats this October at Art Do 208. Pull up a seat in the designer surroundings of the Warren and Mahoney vinyl lounge and soak up the dulcet tones.
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Meet The Creative Culinary Team Behind Art Do 2018
Come hungry and do dinner – a collection of contemporary food stations cooked up by some of the best and brightest in the business will feed you at Art Do 2018.
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Familiar landscape for our new director
Blair Jackson has been appointed the new director of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū.
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Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation's Fifth Annual Gala Dinner
London's hottest chefs are coming to town – and you're invited to dinner!