Panorama: Galleria at Parliament

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Panorama of the Galleria.

This space was created in the refurbishment of Parliament Buildings in the 1990s. The artwork by Malcolm Harrison represents the land, sea and sky in hanging elements above, anchored by a mooring stone bedecked with ribbons from national and cultural groups in New Zealand. The hanging elements depict a Maori kite and the wing of Richard Pearse's plane.

Related commentary by John O'Sullivan, former General Manager of the Parliamentary Service

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Transcript

This was a new space created as a result of the refurbishment of Parliament House and it now houses a major artwork installation by Malcolm Harrison entitled ‘These are Matters of Pride'. The artwork consists of a number of panels, two triangular sky panels linked by a Maori kite and an aircraft wing to the central land panel. The other major panel is a sea panel which features a curling wave form. The land and the sea panel are linked by a large, stylised Polynesian fishing net. The whole roof is literally anchored to a very large anchor stone of a single piece of fired pottery. That anchor stone is adorned with ribbons from national and ethnic groups in New Zealand who have presented something to represent their country of origin.