Jason Povey

‘Pop Pūriri Moth’ is the first in a series of three relief sculptures inspired by native New Zealand insects. Endemic species such as the Pūriri Moth, Wētā and Huhu Bug have long been established as icons of New Zealand Pop Culture and entrenched as a small part of what we call ‘Kiwiana’.

Exploring design processes and methodology, ‘Pop Pūriri Moth’ has been deconstructed completely into basic shapes and geometric forms common to all three sculptures - symbolic of New Zealand culture and heritage.

Visual conventions such as shape, colour, layers, texture, subtraction and geometry, link the sculpture to the environment and its real-life counterpart. The clean lines and complex layers use light and space to create depth and movement as you move around the sculpture. The colours are bold and vibrant, reflecting Hundertwasser’s own use of colour and mirroring the intense hues found in nature. The interplay of positive and negative space turns flat two-dimensional shapes into elaborate three-dimensional forms.

Influenced by the ‘Pop Art’ movement, ‘Pop Pūriri Moth’ reimagines it in a modern sense, while still capturing the essence of what is ‘New Zealand’ and ‘Kiwiana’.