Cat Art: Cat Sculptures in New Zealand

The Nobel Prize-winning French novelist Colette once said that “Time spent with a cat is never wasted.” The same can be said for stopping to spend a moment appreciating the beauty of sculptures and monuments dedicated to our pals who meow. As part of CatTipper’s ongoing series of articles that shine a light on feline-themed fine art around the globe, we take a look at a few depictions of cats created by sculptors in New Zealand.

Brigitte Wuest, head sculptor at director Peter Jackson’s Weta workshop, has molded the imagination of a generation of film fans through her work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. Her creations have also carved a special place in the hearts of New Zealanders who pay a visit to the waterfront in the city of Tauranga, which is home to bronze renditions of the canine and cat characters of Dame Lynley Dodd’s beloved Hairy Maclary children’s books. Along with depictions of the books’ dogs, the series of statues includes a tom cat named Scarface Claw and a black cat dubbed Slinky Malinki.

As all felines are a bit of an enigma, it seems only fitting that the origins of the kitty on a column in the courtyard of the Auckland Domain Wintergardens are veiled in mystery. According to the New Zealand Herald, some people believe that a bear was the architects’ first pick to perch on the pinnacle, with a feline finally taking the honor when it was thought that the symbol of a bear might appear to have socialist connotations. Others think that the kitty was created by Auckland sculptor Richard Gross and dubbed Kings of the Cats. The feline certainly looks regal in the role of top cat, ruling over the garden courtyard since the column was placed on its plinth back in 1927.

A photo posted by DeadDoc (@dead_doc) on Sep 9, 2016 at 3:47am PDT

A photo posted by Jason (@jasonslip) on Sep 15, 2016 at 7:32pm PDT

Among the myriad of mosaics that garnish the garden at The Giant’s House Bed and Breakfast in Akaroa, animal-loving art aficionados will find a figure of a feline alongside a canine companion. The creations are that of artist Josie Martin, who has opened her historic home to travelers who are looking to stay in one-of-a-kind accommodation, and her garden to the inquisitive public. For a fee visitors can stroll past the many unique sculptures which stand guard over lush grounds, enjoy a feast for the eyes as they peruse the paintings which hang in The Giant’s House Contemporary Art Gallery, and dine on tasty treats at The Artist’s Palate cafe.

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posted by The Giants House, Akaroa, NZ (@thegiantshouse) on Jan 16, 2015 at 7:55pm
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At Karori Cemetery near Wellington, a bronze depiction of a courageous cat who set a course for adventure with a crew of polar explorers guards the grave of the human who mourned his loss. Commissioned by the New Zealand Antarctic Society, the creation by sculptor Chris Elliott is a likeness of Mrs. Chippy, the tiger-striped tabby companion of Harry “Chippy” McNish, carpenter aboard Ernest Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance. A feline stuck with a decidedly feminine name (with the men not realizing that the moniker was a mistake until after their mascot was named), Mrs. Chippy proved to be one of the guys aboard the vessel, with Capt. Frank Worsley writing that he climbed rigging “exactly after the manner of a seaman going aloft.”

Mrs. Chippy, who came perilously close to crossing Rainbow Bridge on September 13, 1914 when he jumped from a cabin porthole into the South Atlantic sea (the ship was turned around in order to save him), lost his life on October 29, 1915. The Endurance trapped in polar pack ice, the crew was forced to abandon the vessel. Determining that Mrs. Chippy and sled dog puppies on the expedition could not survive the journey to safety, Shackleton ordered that the animals were to be shot.

McNish harbored such anger toward Shackleton’s decision that, even though the carpenter was instrumental in the crew’s rescue, he did not receive the Polar Medal that was presented to other crew members due to his disagreement of the order which brought about the death of his feline friend.

Mrs. Chippy’s legacy lives on not only in the sculpture which has adorned McNish’s resting place since 2004, but also on a postage stamp that was issued in 2011 in South Georgia, and in the book Mrs. Chippy’s Last Expedition: The Remarkable Journal of Shackleton’s Polar-Bound Cat.