I wrote about her a while back but today my kids persuaded me to go visit Mary. It was sort of a spur of the moment trip but we ventured up the hill (an easy walk unless you have a pram – which of course I did) but the girls enjoyed a picnic on the lawn in front of her. I have said previously I am not much of a believer in the Christian tradition but there is something usually serene about religious places. Its also oddly reassuring that so many other people believe in something that to me is pretty ephemeral.
“This monument on a hill above Paraparaumu was perhaps not his most ascetically pleasing creation, but over time has become New Zealand’s best-known public artwork. Clearly visible from the main State Highway, experiencing 8 million traffic movements annually, it is expected and accepted on journeys to the capital city. His own assessment of the worth of a statue was “the gravity of the spiritual effect rather than the quantity of material used“.
“best known public artwork” – really?
I read today that if we’d visited between Feb 2-11 2008 I would have got a special plenary indulgence which I am sure I could have found a use for. I am kicking myself for not taking a camera though as it was a sunny day, a great view (“Mum – is Kapiti Island a volcano?”) and there was some amusing tagging about as well. Finally I would have liked to have taken a close up of this:
Which is part of the inscription. Its a bit like the “Sixth Sense” except I don’t see dead people – but McCahon everywhere.
July 15, 2008 at 12:39 pm |
Hmmm…. I’m not sure that I would have thought of the word ‘ephemeral’ in connection with that statue.
Best known public artwork, maybe – but certainly not the “best” public artwork. New Plymouth’s Windwand, created by Len Lye, would surely be the best (fighting words, I know, but what the hell). Even “best known” is dubious – what about the bucket fountain?
July 15, 2008 at 9:39 pm |
I was meaning christianity as ephemeral :-)
Certainly not the best public artwork – agreed. Haven’t seen Windwand ‘in person’ so can’t comment and I think the bucket fountain is probably better known.
My kids responded to her in a different way than they have with other public works though which was interesting. And I’d much rather they go “she’s beautiful” over Mary than say a Bratz doll. Of course then they put flowers in their hair and danced in circles in front of her which was rather delightfully pagan
July 16, 2008 at 3:22 am |
I vote bucket fountain ;) I’m smiling thinking of little pagan girls dancing with flowers in their hair.
July 16, 2008 at 5:54 am |
One of my daughters recently asked whether her friend, a 14 year old school boy, could be a Catholic because he had the word ‘penance’ pasted several times in several places on his walls I thought of this in response to your suggestion that your kids responded differently t this ‘art work’. They can pick up the vibes perhaps, as could my daughter. Penance is not just an ordinary word, this statue likewise.
As an adolescent I slept in a dormitory with forty other girls called the Immaculate conception dormitory. I still wonder abut the influence of those words on my sleeping and dreams in those years.
Lis
December 21, 2008 at 6:26 am |
[...] post today from Over The Net reminded me that say what you like about “our” Mary, she is a whole lot more classy (and more reassuring) than [...]
January 12, 2009 at 1:08 am |
blessed is she that calls her children.on hearing her call us mortals shall see the true holy devine and our truth of creation then behold what you cant farthum and transendeth the peace that follows. the angelic artist will paint your picture that many fail to understand.the artist who wants to create a masterpeice,shall know of its true price in comprassion of a truely devine masterpeice at work that you cant look up on compare .com but look up in heavens,priceless