WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) 鈥� Perched on two fingers on the roof of an art gallery in Wellington, , the giant sculpture of a hand has loomed over the city for five years.
Named Quasi, the 16-foot 鈥� almost 5 meters 鈥� creation of Australia-based sculptor Ronnie van Hout bears an unsmiling human face 鈥� because why not?
Some found it disturbing, and now, after five years of provoking controversy and myriad emotions 鈥� from horror and revulsion to delight 鈥� among residents of New Zealand鈥檚 capital, Quasi will be removed from the roof of City Gallery this week.
It will be taken to a new home, the gallery said Wednesday.
鈥淭his is either a great day for Wellington or a terrible day for Wellington and there鈥檚 not much view in between,鈥� said Ben McNulty, a Wellington city council member.
Personally, McNulty told The Associated Press he felt 鈥渄evastated鈥� by the sculpture鈥檚 departure.
Quasi is made of steel, polystyrene and resin, and was based on scans of van Hout鈥檚 hand and face. It was named in part for Quasimodo, the bellringer in Victor Hugo鈥檚 1831 novel 鈥淭he Hunchback of Notre-Dame.鈥�
Hence the male gender some have attributed to Quasi.
Quasi first graced 鈥� or haunted 鈥� an art gallery in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2016 but proved polarizing. It was the subject of an op ed in the local newspaper listing reasons the sculpture 鈥渕ust go,鈥� including claims that one of its outstretched fingers 鈥渁ppears to be inappropriately and belligerently pointing at pedestrians and office workers.鈥�
鈥淧erhaps the monster just wants to be loved?鈥� van Hout responded at the time.
In 2019, Quasi was installed in Wellington, where he grew over time on its residents.
鈥淗e arrived and I won鈥檛 say the city unanimously hated him but I reckon 80% were like, 鈥榃hat is this monster? What have we done?鈥欌�� McNulty said.
鈥淏ut I think that over time there鈥檚 been a bit of a softening, there鈥檚 sort of a pro-Quasi group, which I consider myself part of,鈥� he added.
On Wednesday, many at Wellington鈥檚 Civic Square, where the gallery with Quasi is located, said they had warmed to him too.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really disturbing but it鈥檚 a staple of Wellington now,鈥� said Anja Porthouse, who had brought friends and family to see Quasi and was 鈥済utted鈥� it was leaving.
Quasi is to be lifted from the roof by helicopter on Saturday, when the giant hand will travel to an undisclosed location in Australia, the gallery said.
鈥淓verything comes to an end eventually,鈥� van Hout told the AP. 鈥淚 am sure it will be missed, but even Lovecraftian nightmares have to return to where they came from, and now you only have an absence to reflect on.鈥�
Dozens responded to the news on social media with dismay, glee and jokes about the curse that local lore has attributed to Quasi being lifted.
The sculpture has adorned during 鈥渟ome of its most difficult times,鈥� McNulty said. The , widespread plumbing problems and political division in recent years.
Other comments took guesses about where Quasi might end up.
鈥淗e鈥檚 going to The Hague,鈥� wrote one New Zealander on X.
鈥淗e will be missed,鈥� said Jane Black, who heads the Wellington Sculpture Trust.
鈥淚鈥檒l personally be pleased to see it head somewhere else for a change,鈥� the city's mayor, Tory Whanau, told the AP. 鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a strong feeling of relief.鈥�
Charlotte Graham-mclay, The Associated Press
