Playwright, Screenwriter, Novelist and Poet
Westlaker 1969-1972
This sculpture was inspired by Stephen’s poem Coromandel: A Fragment.
This is one of several poems Stephen has written about the Coromandel. His family has a bach on the peninsula and he has a strong emotional connection to the area.
Stephen is a playwright, screenwriter, novelist and poet. His many plays include The Bach and The Bellbird, both of which are prescribed texts for NZ secondary schools. Also, the hit comedy Ladies Night which continues to be performed throughout the world. He is the co-writer of the Peter Jackson films Meet The Feebles, Braindead and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. In 2010 he wrote and directed the feature film Russian Snark.
Stephen has written the novels Thief of Colours (Penguin Books, 1995) and Dread (Spineless Press, 2000). His poetry collection The Dwarf and the Stripper was published by Addenda in 2003.
Go to stephensinclair.co.nz for more information.
Information about the sculptor
Jeff Thomson was born and raised in Castor Bay, Auckland. He attended Westlake Boys High School from 1971 – 1975 and went on to study at the Elam School of Art attached to the University of Auckland. Although he studied painting and printmaking, he made his move to become a fulltime sculptor in 1986 with a particular focus in using corrugated iron.
Jeff’s work often appears as large-scale sculptures of corrugated iron animals, birds, cars, and people, and include public works and commissions installed in towns and cities throughout New Zealand. Ten of his sculptures form part of Allan Gibb’s Kaipara Sculpture Park, known as “The Farm”. To date, Jeff has participated in nine of the “Sculpture on the Gulf” biennial exhibitions held on Waiheke Island.
Jeff has exhibited in New Zealand, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, and the US and has works held by the Heide Museum of Modern Art, Museum of New Zealand and a further two major public national galleries. He is recognised as one of New Zealand’s leading and most original contemporary artists today.
Jeff was instrumental in designing and constructing the archway (waharoa) that takes pride of place at the main school entrance. In 2017, when it was installed, the school began the tradition of welcoming Year 9 students and farewelling graduating Year 13 students as they walked beneath the arch.
You can read more about Jeff and his career here.
