Gigantic sculpture creates $100,000 spectacle
Art has melded with sport at Seaview. A gigantic interactive sculpture was installed last week outside the $6 million Pelorus Trust Sporthouse in Hutt Park. Sculptor Aiko Groot put the finishing touches on his gigantic interactive work Cube(4), pictured, at the Sporthouse entrance. The Pelorus gaming trust granted $100,000 to the E Tu Awakairangi Hutt Public Art Trust for the eight metre tall work. Its four aluminium cubes can be separately moved by activating crank handles in its concrete plinth, dramatically changing its form. Cube(4) will respond differently to an individual turning just one handle than to a team of four people working all four handles. Explaining his work Groot said he had been hanging out to make a work that needs direct physical interaction. He said the Sporthouse was the perfect location because sport and motion are synonymous. ?You could work up a sweat with it if you wanted.? The art trust was established last year with the goal of enriching Hutt with public art. It is officially launched this week at the opening of Cube(4) by broadcaster Keith Quinn and Hutt City Mayor David Ogden. The Sportshouse is a purpose-built sports administration and training facility which houses national, regional and local sports organisations, opened in June.
