Heritage artwork finds a new home
A unique artwork gifted to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is now on display at Te Whare Waiututu Kate Sheppard House.
Detail of work by Margaretha Western-Brounts. Photo: HNZPTexpand/collapse
Following the Canterbury earthquakes, artist Margaretha Western-Brounts created an intricate artwork, painstakingly cut from parchment, which depicts buildings lost or damaged in the quakes. Some of the buildings include: Christ Church Cathedral, The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, the Edmund’s Band Rotunda, Lyttelton’s Timeball Tower, and the Press Building in the Square.
The artist gifted the piece to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga in 2013 with the request it be displayed. It was displayed at our temporary office at the Antarctic Centre for a while, then was loaned to Canterbury Museum and displayed in Quake City. But now the artwork has found a permanent home at Te Whare Waiututu Kate Sheppard House.
“The artwork looks quite at home and is already attracting attention,” says Helen Osborne, Property lead for Kate Sheppard House.
The artist, Margaretha, is very happy to hear that her work is now on display. “It took two long years of my life to create it, from sunrise to sunset. One day I certainly hope to visit and see it at Kate Sheppard House.”
- Rosemary Baird
It took two long years of my life to create it, from sunrise to sunset — Margaretha Western-Brounts
Christ Church Cathedral features on the work. Photo: HNZPTexpand/collapse
