Gibbs Farm

Gibbs Farm is an open-air sculpture park located in Kaipara Harbour, 47 kilometres (29 mi) north of Auckland, New Zealand.[1] It contains the largest collection of large-scale outdoor sculptures in New Zealand. It is the private art collection of New Zealand businessman Alan Gibbs; however, it is open to the public on select days throughout the year, usually once per month, on a bookings-essential basis.[1]

Gibbs Farm
88.5° ARC x 8' by Bernar Venet
Map
Typeprivate open-air sculpture park
LocationKaipara Harbour, New Zealand
Nearest cityAuckland
Area990 acres
Created1991
Operated byAlan Gibbs

Background

After purchasing the 400 hectares (990 acres) of land for "The Farm" in 1991,[2] Gibbs has collected major artworks by many world-renowned artists from New Zealand and overseas. Much of the artwork is commissioned and, as such, incorporates elements of the landscape into the artwork.[3] The farm also includes several exotic animals such as emus and giraffes,[1] a garage where visitors can glimpse the Gibbs Aquada through the window, and a full-scale wild west town complete with a saloon (in the installation called Grief).[4][5][6] Grief was built through the inspiration of Gibbs' architect son-in-law, Noel Lane,[6] who now cares for the property with Gibbs' daughter Amanda.[7] The town is on a private area of the farm and is not open to the public.

The sculpture Electrum (for Len Lye), by Eric Orr, is the world's largest Tesla coil (11.6 metres or 38 feet tall) and numerous artworks are large enough to be seen from satellite imagery at high magnification.

Gibbs is a major sponsor of ACT New Zealand, and most years, the party holds its annual conference at the Gibbs Farm.[8]

Artworks

YearArtworkArtistCoordinates (if visible in satellite imagery)
1987Two Rectangles, Vertical Gyratory Up (V)George Rickey
1990/1995Column of Four SquaresEccentric Gyratory (III)George Rickey
1992Kaipara StrataChris Booth
1994Sea/Sky KaiparaGraham Bennett
1994Untitled (Red Square/Black Square)Richard Thompson
1994HorizonsNeil Dawson36°31′33.6″S 174°26′08.4″E / 36.526000°S 174.435667°E / -36.526000; 174.435667
1996Red Cloud Confrontation in LandscapeLeon van den Eijkel36°31′27.9″S 174°26′08.7″E / 36.524417°S 174.435750°E / -36.524417; 174.435750
1996Light Column/Cabbage TreeBill Culbert
1996Te HemaraRalph Hotere
1996Kaipara WakaRussell Moses
1996/1997RakaiaPeter Nicholls
1997Electrum (for Len Lye)Eric Orr/Greg Leyh
1997Pyramid (Keystone NZ)Sol LeWitt
1999The MermaidMarijke de Goey36°31′15.91″S 174°26′26.92″E / 36.5210861°S 174.4408111°E / -36.5210861; 174.4408111
1999/2001Te Tuhirangi ContourRichard Serra36°31′23.3″S 174°26′43.22″E / 36.523139°S 174.4453389°E / -36.523139; 174.4453389
1999/2001Green and White FenceDaniel Buren
2003Wind WandLen Lye
???Grief[6]???36°31′38.1″S 174°25′48.3″E / 36.527250°S 174.430083°E / -36.527250; 174.430083
2005ArchesAndy Goldsworthy36°31′16.16″S 174°25′40.65″E / 36.5211556°S 174.4279583°E / -36.5211556; 174.4279583
2005Easy KKenneth Snelson
2006Floating Island of ImmortalsZhan Wang
2008Mud OperaTony Oursler
2008SaddleblazePeter Roche
2009Dismemberment, Site 1Anish Kapoor36°31′22.93″S 174°25′55.17″E / 36.5230361°S 174.4319917°E / -36.5230361; 174.4319917
2011/2012GiraffeJeff Thomson
201288.5° ARC x 8Bernar Venet36°31′07.5″S 174°26′15.0″E / 36.518750°S 174.437500°E / -36.518750; 174.437500
2013A Fold in the FieldMaya Lin36°30′51.4″S 174°26′11.3″E / 36.514278°S 174.436472°E / -36.514278; 174.436472
2014Tango DancersMarijke de Goey
2017Jacob's LadderGerry Judah

Photos of artwork

See also

References

External links

36°31′23″S 174°26′06″E / 36.523°S 174.435°E / -36.523; 174.435