by Martin Selman now stands in a small courtyard between
the Hastings Art Gallery and Hastings Library.
(Photo/Supplied)
An iconic sculpture
by Martin Selman has found a new home at Te Whare Toi o
Heretaunga – Hastings Art Gallery, after its original site
was demolished. This move reflects the gallery’s ongoing
commitment to supporting the work and legacies of
artists.
Regeneration was created in 1995 by
Selman as a private commission for the atrium of Heretaunga
House, an office building in Hastings. Originally from
Birmingham, UK, Selman grew up in Hawke’s Bay before
moving to Auckland in the mid-2000s. Although he now works
exclusively in marble, Regeneration showcases his
early experimentation with black basalt and
bronze.
Selman recalls the process vividly: “I
collected individual pieces of basalt stone from Blackhead
Quarry in Dunedin. Then I regenerated these broken fragments
into singular columns using clay, which I later cast in
bronze. What were once separate, broken parts became
unified, regenerated columns.”
For nearly 30 years,
Regeneration stood quietly in Heretaunga House, its
story gradually fading from public memory. When demolition
of the building began in 2023, the sculpture’s
significance was at risk of being lost
altogether.
That’s when Hastings Art Gallery’s
exhibition design and installation manager Jonathan Brown
stepped in. A respected artist himself, Brown was aware of
the sculpture and its uncertain future.
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“I knew the
building was coming down and I wanted to make sure the
artwork was protected,” says Brown. “I brought it over
to the gallery. There was no formal plan at the time, but I
felt responsible – I guess as a kaitiaki, a guardian –
to look after the artwork.”
For three years, the
sculpture rested in the gallery’s workshop, waiting for
the right moment. Earlier this year, a repaving project in
Civic Square gave the gallery an opportunity to reimagine a
small courtyard between the library and gallery buildings.
This newly activated space became the perfect setting for
Regeneration.
Now, visitors can encounter the
sculpture just inside the gallery foyer, where its presence
resonates alongside another of Selman’s works located
outside the nearby Hastings Library – a sculpture
commissioned for the year 2000 to mark the new
millennium.
Selman is pleased to see his work
revitalised. “Jonathan reaching out to tell me the story
behind the sculpture was the first I’d heard of it in
years. I’m grateful for his foresight to recognise its
value.”
He reflects on the sculpture’s journey:
“Spending 30 years in one place, then being given a new
life somewhere else—that is the true regeneration of the
artwork.”
Gallery director Sophie Davis says: “Our
team’s deep knowledge and commitment to safeguarding and
presenting artworks ensures that artists like Martin receive
the care and respect their work deserves. Martin’s
connection to Hawke’s Bay runs through his practice.
Preserving and activating Regeneration within our
gallery precinct is one example of supporting ongoing
relationships between artists and our
communities.”
