Len Lye Collection curator, Paul Brobbe Photo: Carol Stiles
A sensation for the senses. Thousands of people are flocking to New Plymouth's new Len Lye Centre. The doors of the striking new 12 million dollar building opened in late July and, in the first three months more than 53,000 people have visited. The Len Lye Collection curator, Paul Brobbel says the exhibitions and building are proving to have huge appeal and are bringing in people who would not usually venture into a gallery. He says the building's been designed to cater well for people with disabilities and says it's been like a magnet; to people who live locally and to domestic and overseas tourists. Accessible tours are regular features on the Len Lye Centre calendar. Paul Brobbel says people enjoy the physical sensation of moving around the centre as well as having a sensory experience when they stand beside Len Lye's kinetic sculptures. "We try to think of them less as objects but more as performances …they perform like dancers but they also make a sound." He says the centre offers something for everybody. "You can't be in this room and not leave (without) having some sort of sublime encounter," he says.
