Virginia King “Woman of Words” 2013, Midland Park, Lambton Quay, Wellington

This sculpture titled “Woman of Words” by Virginia King depicts writer Katherine Mansfield (1888-1923) who lived in Wellington as a child. Mansfield left New Zealand aged nineteen, never to return, but many of her short stories reference her childhood. The sculpture was commissioned by the Wellington Sculpture Trust.

At 3.4 metres this larger than life sculpture towers over the footpath. Made of stainless steel sheet with laser-cut quotations from Katherine Manfield’s own writing, the reflective, shiny surface of the figure looks very at home among Lambton Quay’s tall skyscrapers completely surrounding Midland Park. According to the artist’s own website “the sculpture is positioned head turned and looking back along Lambton Quay, the former shoreline of Wellington's Harbour, referring to Mansfield's intense reflection on past events”. During the day when the light is shining down the sculpture creates a long shadow across the footpath. At night the sculpture is lit from within illuminating the words. The lighting up of the sculpture at night-time encourages passers-by to come and view the work. Metal is a common medium used in King’s other sculptures and ideally suited to this inner-city location where the sculpture needs to be strong and robust.

Virginia King does not normally do figurative sculptures but this sculpture references Katherine Mansfield’s distinctive bob hairstyle and the long dress is reminiscent of the long skirts women wore at the time she lived in Wellington. The lines of laser-cut quotations have been arranged to “accentuate the shape and movement of the sculpture”.

References:

Wellington Sculpture Trust https://www.sculpture.org.nz/the-sculptures/woman-of-words [date accessed 3 September 2021]

Virginia King https://www.virginiakingsculptor.com/#/woman-of-words/ [date accessed 3 September 2021]