Sculpture is the most public art form. A sculpture occupying a public space is seen by huge numbers of people. Whether it delights, offends, bemuses or simply bores is a matter of considerable public interest.

The recent burgeoning of commissioned sculptures, both public and private, throughout the country is a cause for celebration. What is most apparent from this activity is the energy, excitement and innovation, in widely diverse media, of current sculptural practice in New Zealand.

Changing Spaces was conceived for New Zealand Festival 2002 as a showcase for large-scale outdoor sculptures. Our intention was to bring these works to as wide an audience as possible and increase knowledge and awareness of New Zealand contemporary sculptors and their work.

The City to Sea walk along the Wellington waterfront has become a well-worn path for promenading and is an ideal venue for such a unique exhibition.

Civic Square is already host to work by some of our most distinguished contemporary sculptors: Tanya Ashken, Chris Booth, Mary-Louise Browne, Bill Culbert and Ralph Hotere, Neil Dawson, Charlotte Fisher, Para Matchitt and Matt Pine. The intention of Changing Spaces is to add to this wonderful mix by introducing the work of 14 other artists in available space in the City to Sea vicinity.

The invited sculptors were selected following an extensive consultation process. Our criteria for inclusion were that artists had exhibited regularly or have work in a public gallery or major private collection. It was also important that they had experience working on a large scale in the outdoors, and finally that we exhibited a diverse range of media. The only brief was the quoted words of Richard Serra.*

We gratefully acknowledge the many people and organisations that have helped make this event a reality. Our warmest thanks are due to the individual artists who have participated, in many cases at considerable personal cost. These people, at the cutting edge of ideas and technologies, have greatly enhanced our city by their brief presence here. We wholeheartedly, and on your behalf, welcome them to Wellington.

It is our real hope that the success of Changing Spaces: New Zealand Sculpture Now will lead to a regular sculpture event in Wellington to extend a dialogue between New Zealand artists and their international peers.

Finally, we hope you enjoy this coming together for New Zealand Festival 2002 of a cross-section of New Zealand's current most exciting sculptors.

Sue Elliott and Jenny Neligan