Chaise Lange

There’s a new diva in town – and she’s holding her own amongst Auckland’s colourful and eclectic Karangahape Road scene.

‘Chaise Lange’, the creation of Auckland Potter Peter Lange, and K’Road’s newest public artwork, was unveiled on Friday night to around 150 people: K’Road locals, art enthusiasts and passers by.

Four years in the making ‘Chaise Lange’ is not just any old seat, rather this ceramic, wood and steel construction has the appearance of an unrolling woven flax mat - delicate in appearance, yet deceptively strong. And that strength was put to the test in the unveiling ceremony, with a performance by the girls of the Calluzzi Bar and Cabaret, in front of which ‘Chaise Lange’ is located, proving that the seat can hold at least three drag queens at one time!

Below: K'Road Business Association's Barbara Holloway with the fabulous girls on the Chaise Lange

Artist Peter Lange, whose previous works, such as a brick dingy and woven-look tent at the Auckland Botanic Gardens, display a similar playful contradiction between form and material, describes making ‘Chaise Lange’ as “quite a fiddly process.” In fact the woven flax structure is made up of some twelve hundred hand made tiles.

The process to replace the previous seat and commission this stunning new work has been largely driven by the K’Road Business Association, and the atmosphere at the unveiling was a celebration the spirit of this vibrant and active community.

Below: the crowd of 150 with the seat about to be unveiled.

Et voila! The Chaise Lange is unveiled.

Below: Barbara Holloway with El Presidentes.



Watch the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWJ4LXK8Xlo

By Rosie Hole, 31 May 2010.