Llew Summer’s sculpture, To the End of Love, is a return to his first universal theme as an artist – man and woman together. It is part of the Sculpture in the Gardens event at Auckland Botanic Gardens.
Named after a Leonard Cohen song, To the End of Love is both a joyous and full of engagement as the couple is absorbed in their dance and to each other, to the end.
“Perhaps it is true that all artists have a piece of ground – a patch – that is theirs and that, on one form or another, they are compelled to continuously find new ways of treating,” says Llew Summer.
Christchurch-based Summers has been exhibiting in solo and group shows since 1971 and his large public art works can be seen in outdoor settings from Kaitaia to Wanaka.
Summers has featured in four out of five of the Sculpture in the Gardens exhibitions. His work Butterfly was purchased for the Auckland Botanic Gardens' permanent collection in 2007 and is a favourite with visitors.
He believes it is the role of the artist to challenge: “If it’s not challenging, then, in some way, it’s not new,” he says.
Sculpture in the Gardens is on at Auckland Botanic Gardens until 6 March. The gardens recently featured in AA Travellers 10 favourite public gardens in New Zealand.
