An iconic Wellington sculpture has returned to its home on the waterfront after an 18-month hiatus.
Len Lye’s Water Whirler was removed for repairs following a vandal attack in April 2023, during which the wand-like sculpture was snapped in half.
The return of the public artwork, which has perched on the harbour’s edge since 2006, has been delayed by manufacturing problems.
However, it was finally reinstalled on Friday, with testing underway on Saturday.
Wellington City Council’s public art specialist Greg Cairns said Canterbury University engineer Angus McGregor understood exactly what was required for the wand to meet Lye’s vision and endure the testing conditions of the capital.
“Angus has provided his expert technical knowledge to understand the ability of the work to withstand two million large amplitude stress cycles per year, plus wind loading without breaking.
“He has completely overhauled the manufacturing process and identified a suitable manufacturer capable of meeting these demands. He has conducted all the necessary modelling and prototype testing in the engineering workshops at the Christchurch engineering school.”
Water Whirler is a kinetic sculpture that plays in 10-minute cycles every two hours during the week and hourly Friday to Sunday, in winds less than 20 knots.
Its motorised wand spins and whirls, releasing sprays of water into the air.
The $300,000 sculpture was a joint commission from the Len Lye Foundation by the Wellington Sculpture Trust and Wellington Waterfront Ltd, with additional funding from the NZ Lottery Grants Board.
The cost of the fix is still being processed by insurance.
It was not the first time the sculpture had been broken – in 2018 a man climbed the artwork, snapping it in two.
That same year, a similar Len Lye sculpture in New Plymouth was fitted with security cameras, after it was vandalised four times within 18 months.
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