Ruby Coast artists launch gateway sculpture project

October 29th, 2013

Tasman Sculpture looking south

The newly formed Ruby Coast Initiative Trust has launched its signature Gateways Sculpture Project, which will see the design and installation of a series of three sculptures as gateways into the area.

This ambitious initiative is a joint venture between a group of prominent Ruby Coast artists and the Ruby Coast Initiative Trust. The sculptures will be of a contemporary and enduring nature highlighting the area's natural beauty and its artistic community.

The first sculpture will be installed near the Tasman Village turnoff on Aporo Road. It will be a 9 metre high stainless steel structure with silhouette cut outs of birds found in the Moutere Inlet with an information panel explaining more about the local bird-life and acknowledge major sponsors.

The Mapua sculpture is intended to be based on a similar design but with fish and other marine life depicted, and will be placed at the southern entry from State Highway 60 to the Ruby Coast on Mapua Drive.

The final gateway will be a series of totems with birds and fish and will be placed beside the bypass near the junction of Stagecoach Rd and the underpass.

The Trust says the vision is to encourage visitors to turn off on to the Ruby Coast Scenic Drive, where they will discover "an area of spectacular natural beauty and welcoming, vibrant communities – with cafés, beaches, craft outlets and a link in the new cycle trail".

The project was officially launched at an event at Jester House Café on Thursday, 24th October which started a major fundraising drive. More information can be found at www.rcit.co.nz.

Tasman Sculpture from the Aporo Road bend, looking north toward Motueka

The Interpretative Signs Project

The Ruby Coast community has also been active in recent years designing and constructing a series of interpretative signs/panels throughout the area that provide useful information on ecology, history, way finding, cycle and walkway links, local attractions etc.

For each sign the group first identified suitable locations which have historic elements and points of interest within the Ruby Coast. Then they went about source funding, gaining resource consent, undertaking the research, and then the design work and construction of the sign itself.

To date three signs have been constructed. The sign located at Mapua Wharf (photo, right) records its early use as a vibrant port. In Ruby Bay the sign explains Tasman Bay's geology and history.

The Tasman sign is located near the site of the future Aporo Sculpture and provides information on the Moutere Inlet's ecology and local orcharding history.

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