A place to rest

In 1965 the Auckland City Council invited Greer Twiss, one of New Zealand's most significant sculptors, to submit a proposal for a sculpture to go in a small park on the corner of Karangahape (or 'K') Road and Symonds Street not far from the city centre. Despite much argument and controversy the sculpture was installed in 1968. Over the years, the sculpture has become accepted and more recently admired and loved.

Although designed as a fountain, that aspect is relatively unobvious, and in fact the water is infrequently turned on. The bronze has weathered to the green verdigris colour seen in my picture.

There are seats in the small park. although none close to the sculpture, and also places to sit on the street. The corner is one of the busiest for traffic; from here the Grafton Bridge crosses a gully connecting the inner city to the Auckland Domain, and the nearby Auckland City Hospital.

Under the trees behind the sculpture is part of the old Grafton Cemetery, one part of which (the Jewish part) is still in use. While the living rest temporarily in this wee park, the figures in the sculpture, and those in the cemetery rest for a longer time.