Leo Bensemann was a superb draughtsperson and especially enjoyed producing highly detailed and wildly imaginative ink drawings illustrating dark literary tales, such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s 1798 poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Coleridge writes of an albatross killed with a crossbow by the mariner—a bad omen for seafarers, who believe the albatross brings good luck. Bensemann weaves several passages from Coleridge’s tale into his drawing, including that of the mariner forced by crew members to wear the dead albatross draped over his shoulders. As the crew starve and eventually die, the mariner is left to face the curse of his deed alone on the high seas. Redemption comes in the form of penance, with the mariner compelled “by woful agony” to tell his story over and over, sharing his hard-learned lesson of reverence and respect for the beauty of all living creatures.

(Bird Land: Te Kāhui Manu 15 August 2026 – 8 February 2027)