Toss by Neil Dawson, which was installed by a large crane last week under the supervision of the artist, is a stylised metal outline of a mortarboard, the special headgear that is worn at graduation ceremonies. It appears suspended as if thrown into the air in celebration.
This work replaces Dawson’s earlier work Flying Steps, which previously hung in the same location.
Dawson is known for his large-scale, site-specific sculptures which have been exhibited nationally and internationally. Major commissions in Wellington include The Rock (1984) outside the BNZ Centre and the hanging sphere Ferns (1998) in Civic Square. He also has work on display internationally—one of his creations, Globe (1989), hangs at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris.
The sculpture was gifted to the University by Gillian and Dr Roderick Deane.
For more photos of the sculpture being installed can be viewed on the University's Facebook page.