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Long Modified Bench Waitematā Green by Jeppe Hein
Jeppe Hein

Long Modified Bench Waitematā Green

"A curved and unconventional line of white seating stretches up and around Waitematā Plaza, lit with LED lights by night."

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Description

This rolling line of white seating meanders along the ground and through space in Waitematā Plaza. Its basic form is a park bench; there's a seat to sit on and a back to lean against. But unlike most conventional park benches, this line of seating stretches into multiple sections, the line rising and falling with high arches and sharp turns. The curved and unconventional design offers a place to relax, where viewers can also admire the ribbon-like shape as it makes its way along the plaza. At night, the artwork is lit by LED lights, transforming the work with a soft glow.

Long Modified Bench Waitematā Green was originally one of three temporary sculpture projects commissioned to celebrate the reopening of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki in 2011. By Danish artist Jeppe Hein, the work was sponsored by the Edmiston Trust and unveiled on the gallery’s L-shaped Edmiston Sculpture Terrace, then relocated in August 2015 to its current location.

Benches have featured in Hein's work since 2000, becoming more complex over time, and this the first work to utilise light.

When the work was unveiled at the reopening of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, curator Natasha Conland noted how Hein’s benches, "invite curiosity and a desire for exploration. But the principles of the common bench remain — they are go-betweens in spaces of leisure and work, or urban and park-side settings."

Location

Waitematā Plaza, Viaduct Harbour

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