Sculpture on 10-year loan to Kaikōura to combat 'negative attitude' towards fur seals

Résumé détaillé

Foster is loaning his sculpture 'Kekeno' (New Zealand fur seal) to the Kaikōura District Council for 10 years, in a bid to raise awareness about respecting Kaikōura's marine…

Seals are often misunderstood in Kaikōura's marine environment, local artist Ben Foster says.

Foster is loaning his sculpture 'Kekeno' (New Zealand fur seal) to the Kaikōura District Council for 10 years, in a bid to raise awareness about respecting Kaikōura's marine environment.

''There's often a negative attitude towards seals and I want to change that.''

Kekeno was first designed in 2009 for an exhibition hosted by an art gallery in Auckland, with the theme to create a work which ''represented your environment'', Foster said.

He hopes the sculpture, installed in Kaikōura's West End on Thursday, November 5, becomes a focal point and reminds people to give wildlife some space.

Made out of marine-grade stainless steel, the sculpture ''literally reflects its environment''.

''I'm hoping it will help people to see themselves as part of the environment and not separate from it.''

Kaikōura District Council chief executive Will Doughty said Foster's generosity in making the sculpture available to the community on a 10-year loan was ''absolutely incredible''.

''It touches on an area of environment close to his heart and hopefully it will raise some awareness.

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