Stay, Cast iron sculpture series in central Christchurch, New Zealand.
Stay is a cast iron sculpture series in central Christchurch, made up of two life-sized human figures placed along the Avon River. Both figures are fixed outdoors in open air and can be approached and viewed from all sides directly from the riverbank path.
The works were created in 2015 and marked the first time this internationally known sculptor had placed a work in New Zealand. The installation came as part of a broader effort to bring new public art to Christchurch following the 2011 earthquake.
The two figures stand at the edge of the Avon River as if watching the water, giving the impression they are waiting for something or someone. Visitors often stop nearby and look at them from different angles, which turns a simple riverside walk into a moment of quiet attention.
The figures stand along the riverside path between Worcester Boulevard and Hereford Street and are easy to reach on foot from the city center. The site is open at any hour, and visiting at different times of day, such as morning or late afternoon, changes how the iron surfaces look.
Although both figures share exactly the same body posture, they can look completely different depending on the angle from which you approach them. This is partly due to the rough texture of cast iron, which reacts differently to light depending on the direction it comes from.
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