19 Sep 2011

Less secrecy urged over public art

1:43 pm on 19 September 2011

Art historian Peter Entwisle says the public art subcommittee of Dunedin City Council must be less secretive.

There's growing comment about the council's role over a Ngai Tahu art work, the Haka Peep Show, which is in the Octagon for the Rugby World Cup.

The five metre high black deodorant contains four video projections of prominent Maori men doing the haka.

It quickly became a talking point and has prompted one Dunedin City Councillor to resign from the subcommittee after the majority supported a contribution of $50,000.

Mr Entwisle says the process must be more open in future, with all details of commissioned art works being made public when the artist, cost and work are finalised.

Subcommittee chair Bill Acklin says he would love to comment, but is not allowed to.

Mr Acklin says the committee was not directly involved in the Haka Peep Show, but he stands by his view that the work is good.