Author(s): Sculpture by Virginia King Essays by Gregory O'Brien, Kendrah Morgan, Paul Judge, Geoff Park, Mark Amery

Fine Art

My sculpture celebrates life in the South Pacific. New Zealand is surrounded by the sea - the works inspired by the ocean, the geographic isolation of New Zealand and informed by mythology, history and literature. By magnifying and abstracting the natural scale of life forms I draw attention to their fragility and vulnerability. The works refer to my concerns about ecology and survival and the delicate balance between sustainability and progress. The vessel form is a recurrent theme of my work and becomes a symbol of migration, a chalice and a container of life, and symbol of lifes journey. My work is predominantly created from salvaged timbers and cast bronze. Stainless steel works are laser-cut and hand finished. "Its stunning. Design-wise, it is a feast for the eye ...The essays are erudite and a pleasure to read."--Andrew Paul Wood The NZ Listener