Under the sky, beside the sea

Jeff Thomson's piece is part of the second outdoor exhibition of contemporary sculpture. Picture / Janet Hunt

It is a ribbon, a ringlet of shining steel, twisting, looping and spiralling through kikuyu sward towards the ocean. This is Jeff Thomson's Contour, one of 25 works in the second biennial Sculpture on the Gulf exhibition.

Described by the Wellington Sculpture Trust as likely to become "New Zealand's largest and most prestigious outdoor exhibition of contemporary sculpture", the show was a standout success two years ago with more than 12,000 visitors and promises to confirm that prediction this year.

As in 2003, the show is staged on the headland south of Matiatia Bay on Waiheke Island. Each piece is designed and selected for its appropriateness to its position on the two-kilometre walkway.

The route passes enclosed beaches, ancient pohutukawa, rugged cliffs and steep hillsides, vineyards and bush-clad gullies, and is always beside and above the speckle-back ocean, an endlessly moving, living entity patterned in light and colour.

On the western horizon, the setting is counterpointed by the spires and rectangles of metropolitan Auckland.

The beauty of this spot never palls no matter how many times you experience it.

For the visitor, it can be a Tempest kind of thing, where, in the space of a 35-minute ferry journey, you leave the city and enter a world of enchantment from which you later return captivated and invigorated.

Once again the list of exhibitors is formidable, a roll call of 25 pre-eminent contemporary sculptors.

In July last year the three selectors, Lara Strongman (independent curator, writer and editor), Lisa Reihana (lecturer in moving image at the Manukau Institute of Technology) and Chris Saines (Auckland Art Gallery director) pored over 70 submissions and made a final cut.

Those exhibiting are: Jeff Thomson, Richard Wedekind, David McCracken, Aiko Groot, Chiara Corbelletto, Paul Rhind, Sean Burke, David Carson, Suza Lawrence, Phil Price, Sharonagh Montrose, Denis O'Connor, Sara Givins, Peter Nicholls, Tui Hobson, Regan Gentry, Gregor Kregar, Barry Lett, Waikarere Gregory, Terry Stringer, Jim Wheeler, Paratene Matchitt, Paul Dibble, Liz Earth and Peter Lange.

This year's exhibition has a new structure. The exhibits in the inaugural show were judged and several major prizes awarded, but this year organisers have replaced those prizes with a grant of $2000 to each successful submitter, leaving only the popular People's Choice Award to be decided.

Jackie O'Brien, former artistic director at the Waiheke Community Art Gallery, is excited by the change. "It acknowledges the work that artists put into their pieces and the costs involved. It makes things more affordable for them and in return they exhibit in a powerful and stimulating environment," she said.

"They enjoy the prestige, participation and collaboration of being in the largest outdoor group show in New Zealand, as well as the exposure to a huge audience."

The exhibition offers something for everyone, and organisers promise visitors will be greeted by the unexpected at every turn. It includes Dave McCracken's Walkway to the Mainland, a stainless steel stairway that curves and vanishes into thin air, Paul Rhind's His Master's Voice, an intriguing PVC pipe construction that will amplify and deliver the voice of the sea, Aiko Groot's Door, that has no walls, and Denis O'Connor's moving The Asterisk/ Part One of a Triptych/ Chandelier, a 23-carat, gold-leaf-on-metal wheelchair in a tree.

Most exhibits are larger than life, including an enormous nest by Liz Earth, woven in memory of the extinct New Zealand giant eagle Harpagornis moorei, or Regan Gentry's huge deckchair, The Limousine Lounger.

Prime Minister Helen Clark will open the exhibition at a ticket-only gala occasion along the walkway tomorrow, and from Friday entry is free.

The exhibition is open during two major holidays, Auckland Anniversary and Waitangi Day. Those visiting on February 5 can also take part in the Waiheke Island Wine Festival.

To get to the exhibition, take the Waiheke ferry from the terminal at the bottom of Queen St to Matiatia. Buses will take you to the start of the walk and deliver you back with a loop past the Waiheke Community Art Gallery where you can also view a smaller companion exhibition, Sculpture on a Plinth.

Alternatively, take a 20-minute uphill walk from the beach to the start of the exhibition.

Facilities include toilets, refreshments on sale and an information kiosk. Although the path is wide and has been upgraded, sensible footwear is recommended as some parts of the walk are fairly steep and you will need to climb over two stiles. Sunblock and sunhats are also wise choices.

At a leisurely pace, the walk takes approximately one hour. Dogs are not permitted on the walkway.

Exhibition

* What: Sculpture on the Gulf

* Where and when: Waiheke Island, south of Matiatia Bay, Jan 28-Feb 13