Hastings council spends $25k to keep local artist’s work on main street

The artist behind Hastings’ new Apple Core sculpture, Fish Aberadi, explained the ideas behind his new sculpture and how it relates to the wider Hawke’s Bay. Photo / Warren Buckland

Fish Aberadi’s spinning wooden apple core art installation was only meant to be on Heretaunga St East for a month, but now it’s a permanent fixture.

Hastings District Council (HDC) decided it was a perfect fit for the district given the importance primary industries, particularly apples, have in the Hawke’s Bay economy.

For those who haven’t seen the artwork, it is an ever-turning, towering wooden apple core with a glowing orb in the centre, built out of 1930s recycled matai from the Willams & Kettle building in Ahuriri.

In July Aberadi told the Hastings Leader he had spent an estimated 300 hours or more on the sculpture, titled Apple Core.

An HDC spokesperson said the council brought the sculpture for $25,000 and added, " This piece had a substantially higher market price, and Hastings is very fortunate that the artist was prepared to consider the council’s offer – which reflects his close association, as a local artist, with Hastings.

Hastings District Council has bought the Apple Core sculpture. Photo / Paul Taylor

Much like the Big Apple Project that Arts Inc Heretaunga, Studio Benega and the Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival held in 2022, the Hastings council said Aberadi’s art piece was a perfect fit, as Hastings is known as the apple capital of New Zealand and this public artwork helps highlight that industry and its long and ongoing contribution to our economy.

As an artist, Aberadi said the council buying his art piece “feels great as they have been supportive of my art career and getting it off the ground, it also showed that my art is saleable”.

“It has just been awesome to see people connect with the art and it was made for Hawke’s Bay so it’s great that they will get to keep viewing it over time.”

Although the artwork can be moved if needed, HDC has decided it will stay where it is for the immediate future.

“This location is prominent and close to our busy Heretaunga St East arts and culture precinct and with the seating in this area, people can relax and spend time appreciating it, especially at night when it lights up,” an HDC spokesperson said.

While the piece is large, the council said the upkeep will be minimal, involving yearly restaining of the wood, and a motor check and service as required.

As for the public reaction to Apple Core, the council spokesperson said it has been very positive, “especially as the ethos behind the sculpture is so personal to the region. Having the storyboard there to explain the relevance of the work has proved very popular.”

Maddisyn Jeffares became the editor of the Hawke’s Bay community papers Hastings Leader and Napier Courier in 2023 after writing the Hastings Leader for almost a year. She has been a reporter with NZME for almost three years now and has a strong focus on what’s going on in communities, good and bad, big and small. Email news tips to her at: maddisyn.jeffarea@nzme.co.nz.