Paul Dibble’s sculptures derive from a rich and diverse history of both European and Pacific cultures. These pieces contemplate Immortality, a theme which has been the subject of ancient Roman, Greek, and Pacific myths and legends. Relating to the larger Dibble sculpture on the trail To the Other Side, these works contemplate mortal man in pursuit of a spiritual place. In To the Other Side a male figure strides confidently forward, referencing the story of Maui entering the Goddess of Death to gain eternal life and status of full god. Into Another Realm is playful, a figure cartwheels through the circle of death to a life beyond that on earth. Looking to the Other Side offers a more tentative approach, a figure cautiously leans forward, its head peering through the void.
Paul Dibble lives in Palmerston North and casts his work from a dedicated foundry with a small team of highly skilled assistants. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) from Elam School of Fine Arts at Auckland University in 1967. In 2004 he was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit and in 2007,an Honorary Doctorate from Massey University, Palmerston North. He has received two QE II Council Grants (1985 and 1979). His work is in significant collections throughout the country. Highlights of Dibble's career include major survey exhibitions and the commission of The New Zealand Hyde Park Corner Memorial in London.
Presented in association with Gow Langsford Gallery.