September 18 - October 5, 1996 Paul Dibble

“This is a splendid exhibition of large works that show inventiveness, thought and the ability to realise ambitious conceptions. One of the most substantial works in the show is The Chartered Ocean which has the traditional merit of making strong sculpture from the female form as well as having features that set it firmly in the Pacific.

This big torso representing the ocean is, like most of the works in the show, double-sided. It is effective when seen from either side and furthermore, although it is slender, the edge-on view is satisfying because the circles made by the truncated arm and neck contribute to a tall totem shape that is like work done by Brancusi earlier this century.

What gives this torso its special quality is not only its rhythmic outline but also judiciously placed symbols raised by welds on the surface which enliven it with the spiral, the hibiscus and koru forms that are specific to the region.”

Excerpt from review “Perspective on Art” by T. J. McNamara in NZ Herald, September, 1996