Brook Waimārama Sanctuary – Dean Raybould

This artwork was created by Takaka-based artist Dean Raybould for the Brook Waimarama Sanctuary’s entrance area.

When the Sanctuary’s visitor facilities are fully developed, the art installation will find a permanent home in the Sanctuary’s visitor entrance area. In the meantime the Sanctuary will build its presence in Nelson’s CBD and the partnership with Makeshift Spaces will help meet this aim of bringing the Sanctuary closer to the people.

This display coincides with the Sanctuary’s 2020 official bridge opening on Wednesday 19 February (subject to fire risk closure of council reserves). We would like to take the opportunity to once again thank Dean for his support through the creation of this inspiring artwork.

The art installation tells the story of the Brook Waimārama site: from its distant origins as part of Gondwanaland; the development of New Zealand’s unique species of birds, reptiles, and insects; the waves of human arrivals and the mammalian pests we brought with us; the development of Nelson City’s water works; the founding of the Sanctuary project; through to our future vision for the site as a fully restored native ecosystem with reintroduced rare birds and other wildlife.

Dean Raybould’s highly illustrative work is surrealist, quirky and humorous, with a penchant for word-play in the titles of his paintings.

Dean’s paintings on found objects – including glass, wood, boards and canvas – are interlaced with social and environmental commentary, black humour and ambiguous musings on human existence. The interplay of words, flora and fauna, birds and pattern, all combine to create a mystical dream-like trance of finely executed treasures.

Often collected for his lyrical and humorous artworks, Dean’s pieces evoke a New Zealand surrealist environment that has its roots firmly grounded in his inimitable “tongue in cheek” style.