WELLINGTON: Perched on two fingers on the roof of an art gallery in Wellington, New Zealand, the giant sculpture of a hand has loomed over the city for five years.
Named Quasi, the nearly 5m creation of Australia-based sculptor Ronnie van Hout bears an unsmiling human face – because why not?
Some found it disturbing, and now, after five years of provoking controversy and myriad emotions – from horror and revulsion to delight – among residents of New Zealand’s capital, Quasi will be removed from the roof of City Gallery this week.
It will be taken to a new home, the gallery said Wednesday (Oct 30).
“This is either a great day for Wellington or a terrible day for Wellington and there’s not much view in between,” said Ben McNulty, a Wellington city council member.
Personally, McNulty told The Associated Press he felt “devastated” by the sculpture’s departure.
Quasi is made of steel, polystyrene and resin, and was based on scans of van Hout’s hand and face. It was named in part for Quasimodo, the bellringer in Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel The Hunchback of Notre-Dame.
Hence the male gender some have attributed to Quasi.
