5m 'Kwaji' on Roof of Wellington Art Gallery, New Zealand
Controversy as Eyesore vs Landmark Since 2019 Installation
Demolition Scheduled with Gallery Repairs... Mixed Reactions
A 5-meter-tall hand sculpture named Quasi stands on the roof peak of an art museum in Wellington, New Zealand. [AP=Yonhap News]
On the roof of an art museum in Wellington, New Zealand, there is a giant hand sculpture. This 5-meter-tall artwork features a human face with a serious expression on the back of the hand. Created in 2016 and moved to the rooftop of the Christchurch Art Gallery in Wellington in 2019, it has sparked controversy, with people calling it both a "landmark" and an "eyesore."
On the 1st, the Associated Press reported that the giant sculpture, which has been at the center of debate for five years, is bidding farewell to the residents. The sculpture is set to be removed due to repairs on the museum building. The sculpture is named Quasi, inspired by Quasimodo from Victor Hugo's 1831 novel "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame." Because of this, people perceive Quasi as male. Quasi has a human face with a serious expression engraved on the back of the hand, giving the impression of looking down on people from a high place. The interior is made of steel, while the exterior is polystyrene painted with synthetic resin. The artist who created Quasi, Rony van Hout, is known to have modeled the sculpture on his own face and hand.
The museum plans to move Quasi soon using a helicopter, but it will not return even after repairs are completed. Wellington residents are divided in their reactions, with some saying it is good and others feeling regretful. Van Hout expressed that he feels "regretful." There are rumors that Quasi will be sent to The Hague in the Netherlands, but this has not been confirmed.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
