Laura Vodanovich: Hawke’s Bay museum pays tribute to sculptor Paul Dibble

Sculptor Paul Dibble at work in his Palmerston North studio in 2020. Photo / Palmerston North City Council

Last week we were saddened to hear about the passing of Paul Dibble. Based in Palmerston North, he was a powerhouse in the New Zealand sculpture world and his works grace many cities around the country.

Thanks to the efforts of the MTG Foundation, there are two of Dibble’s works in the MTG collection - both permanently on display. One, The Gold of the Kowhai, was purchased in 2014 and can be viewed from the entry to MTG Hawke’s Bay and in front of the Masonic Hotel. A second work, The Garden, is situated in Havelock North by the i-site building.

Both are displays of artistic talent and philanthropy coming together to enrich the community. We, like many, mourn the passing of Dibble.

Coincidentally, we also held a function last week to celebrate the exhibition Paintings and Other Works, which shares some of the amazing collection acquired by the MTG Foundation over the past 10 years. Contemporary and mid-century works sit cheek by jowl in this exhibition, with some beautiful and stunning juxtapositions along with complementary elements highlighting colour, style, content, etc.

This is a showing of a rich range of art all brought together by the generosity and passion of the MTG Foundation and its members. We’re incredibly grateful for their continued energy and support.

The Gold of the Kowhai, sculpted by Paul Dibble in 2014, was gifted by the MTG Foundation.

Some works purchased by the MTG Foundation are not included in the display as they are already earmarked for other exhibitions. One such show will use the art and archive collection to tell some of the history of Te Matau-a-Māui. It will include two fairly recent acquisitions made by the MTG Foundation.

Meanwhile, work is well under way on the building project in Hastings. This new facility will provide a permanent safe and appropriate home to store our collection, including artworks when not on display at MTG.

Those who have driven past will see that demolition work is all but completed and we are now left with a shell – pillars and a roof. We’ve even had the first of many concrete pours this week, which will form the foundations of the “darkhouse” – the collection store area. It’s hard to envision, looking at it today, the facility that it will become, but it’s an exciting prospect.

Staff at MTG have a lot of work ahead preparing the collection for the shift. As the building progresses, so will the preparation of the collection. To have it ready for the big move we do have to stop our normal services – this means enquiries, visits to the collection and accepting acquisitions are all impacted in the short term. We acknowledge this will affect people who expect the normal level of access to the collection but we hope you will appreciate this is for the greater long-term good.

Having permanent fit-for-purpose storage for the collection, away from the tsunami zone, with the right environment and space for researchers and visitors has been the dream for a long time and it is finally within reach. We aim to have the new facility up and running by the end of 2025. We look forward to welcoming you then.

- Laura Vodanovich is the MTG director