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Tom Taylor (sculptor)

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Tom Taylor
Tom Taylor at Bill Sutton's 70th birthday in 1987
Born1925
Christchurch
Died1994 (aged 69)[1]
Christchurch
NationalityNew Zealand
Alma materCanterbury University College School of Fine Arts[2]
Known forSculpture and teaching
MovementSculptural modernism

Tom J. Taylor (1925–1994) was a New Zealand sculptor and educator who spent most of his life in Christchurch. He was a well-regarded lecturer at the University of Canterbury (UC; Māori: Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha), and a number of his students became notable artists.

Taylor trained in architecture then sculpture at the forerunner of UC. He spent most of his working life as a lecturer at the UC School of Art. Taylor specialised in sculpture and later led that department. He taught and largely practiced modernism. But he encouraged his students to explore other movements and unconventional media.

As a sculptor, his productive early and sparse late periods were figurative. His middle period, the mid-1960s to mid-1970s, was mostly abstract and fused sculpture with architecture. Taylor also designed houses, theatre sets, and was an organiser in the Christchurch arts community.

Early life and education

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Taylor was born in Christchurch in 1925. He completed his schooling at St Kevin's College, Oamaru, and passed the examination to enter university (or matriculated) at 14+1⁄2 years old. However, World War II interrupted his studies. He joined the Royal New Zealand Navy and served overseas for the last two years of the war.[1]

On his return, Taylor studied architecture then sculpture at Canterbury University College (CUC).[1] He completed a degree in architectural construction in 1947.[3] Then in 1952, at the School of Fine Arts, Taylor completed a diploma in the fine arts.[2][4] He trained in figurative sculpture under Eric Doudney.[5][6][7]

Working life

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Educator

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Taylor was an educator in Christchurch throughout his working life. He started as the art master of St Andrew's College in the late 1950s.[8] During that period, the CUC School of Fine Arts became the UC School of Art, and it moved from the city centre to the suburb of Ilam.[9] Taylor returned to the school in 1960 as a lecturer specialising in sculpture.[10] He led the sculpture department from 1969 until his retirement in 1991.[11][1]

As late as the mid-1980s, Taylor taught and largely practiced modernism.[12] But he encouraged his students to explore other movements and unconventional media.[13] A number of Taylor's students became notable artists. They include Chris Booth, Rodney Broad,[14] Stephen Clarke,[15] Paul Cullen,[16] Bing Dawe, Neil Dawson, Stephen Furlonger,[17] Rosemary Johnson,[18] John Panting, Matt Pine,[19] Phil Price, Pauline Rhodes, Carl Sydow,[20] Bronwyn Taylor,[21] Merylyn Tweedie and Boyd Webb.[22][23] Interviewed in Christchurch newspaper The Press, Dawson remembered Taylor as a highly intelligent but tough sculpture and art history lecturer. He continued "[Taylor] set challenges which would last for the rest of your life, and you can't ask for more than that from your teacher."[24]

Taylor was a well-regarded educator according to his obituary, a remembrance and a subsequent art history assessment.[1][23][6]

Sculptor

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Periods and associations

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Taylor's early work was figurative and mainly in concrete (see Known works). By the mid-1960s, he had the idea of fusing sculpture with architecture. In 1966,[25] Taylor received the first Canterbury Society of Arts (CSA) Guthry travel grant, and visited Australia.[26] There, Taylor saw the massive steel work of Clement Meadmore, and was inspired to produce work following his idea.[25] For the next decade,[27][28] he produced mostly formal abstractions in steel.[23] In 1969, Taylor received a Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council travel grant. He visited Europe to study sculpture in bronze with Quinto Ghermandi [it] and steel with Rudolf Hoflehner.[29] From the 1980s, Taylor returned to figurative work,[6] and produced the occasional bust in bronze.

Taylor was a member of The Group and 20/20 Vision in the 1960s, and was a co-founder of the Sculptors' Group in the early 1970s.[30] He was also a member of the CSA from the mid-1960s,[31] and a member of their council in the early 1970s.[32] Taylor exhibited work with all four organisations.[33][34][35][36]

Critical evaluation of work

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Only a few reviews of Taylor's work have been found, but they are positive.

Moraine (1967) was a freestanding sculpture. It was Taylor's first formal abstraction,[25] and was composed of forms made from welded sheet steel. It is in the collection of Christchurch Art Gallery (CAG; Māori: Te Puna o Waiwhetū). They note how the smooth finish hid the technique used to make the work.[27]

IBM Centre external to internal (1971) was an architectural sculpture, again composed of steel forms. At over 4 metres high and 5 meters long,[37] it was Taylor's largest known work. It was mounted in the portico at the front of the office block. Vertical forms on the floor and ceiling curved to horizontal and merged. The work continued through a gap in the glass curtain wall to its end in the lobby. Architect Martin Hill sketched and reviewed the work for his Wellington Townscape column in The Dominion newspaper. He wrote it was "... a sensitively shaped vigorous form." that rewarded repeat viewing.[38]

Transit (1976) was another architectural sculpture and Taylor's last known formal abstraction. It was in the University of Auckland Medical School,[39] and was mounted in a stairwell landing which had a window.[28] The work was made from steel sheets on beams running between the walls and ceiling. In his book New Zealand Sculpture: A History, art historian Michael Dunn wrote it was highly abstract and industrial looking. He noted how "... the beams appear to move in space, creating a contrast with the architecture and a frame for the view through the window ..."[6]

W. A. Sutton C.B.E. (1991–92) was a bust of painter Bill Sutton, which was cast in bronze and was Taylor's last known work. Art critic John Coley wrote it was a fine head.[23] Also in the CAG collection, they describe it as "... modelled in a loose, spontaneous style that gives the work a sense of liveliness and immediacy."[40]

However, both Coley and Dunn wrote that Taylor's lasting contribution to sculpture was as an educator rather than a practitioner.[23][41]

Designer

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Although Taylor only had initial training in architecture, he still designed houses for acquaintances in Christchurch. The first was for his School of Art colleague and close friend Bill Sutton.[40][23] Taylor designed the house, including a studio, in a local modernist style. Built in 1963, Sutton lived there until his death in 2000. The house on Templar Street, Richmond was one of the few in that area to survive the 2010 Canterbury and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. Owned by Christchurch City Council since 2019,[42] it is used as an artist's residence.[43] In 2022, Heritage New Zealand (Māori: Pouhere Taonga) listed Sutton House and Garden as a category one historic place of special or outstanding significance.[42] Taylor also designed the Governors Bay house of author Margaret Mahy,[43] who lived there from 1968 until her death in 2012.[44] Sources differ on whether Taylor designed a third house in the early 1970s for another colleague, the painter and potter Doris Lusk.[a]

Between the mid-1950s and mid-1970s, Taylor also occasionally designed theatre sets.[47][48] Most were for Shakespeare plays performed by the UC drama society,[49][50] which were produced by Taylor's friend, the author Ngaio Marsh.[1]

Organiser

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Taylor helped to found a number of art ventures, all based in Christchurch.

In 1964, John Coley and Taylor inspired other artists to form 20/20 Vision,[23] an informal group influenced by international contemporary art.[26] The group held annual exhibitions of its members' work 1965–68.[51][52]

The Sculptors' Group, founded by Taylor and his student Carl Sydow in 1970, organised lectures and held three exhibitions. It disbanded in 1972 when members moved from South to North Island or overseas for training or work opportunities.[13]

In 1980, printmaker Jule Einhorn set up the Gingko Print Workshop and Gallery for Works on Paper with the help of printmaker Barry Cleavin and Taylor.[53][54] Gingko was located in the Arts Centre, of which Taylor was a board member, and its buildings used to be the CUC School of Fine Arts, where he had trained.[23] The print workshop closed in 1992.[55]

Personal life

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Taylor and his former wife Paddy had three children.[1] His later partners were Joan Livingstone then, by the time of his death, Jule Einhorn.[23] Taylor died in 1994 aged 69.[1]

Known works

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Year Title, subject or description Type Medium Dimensions Notes
c. 1960 WWII airman in flying kit Memorial model Clay for concrete H 3300 mm Commissioned for Brevet Club, Christchurch. Model completed.[56] Not cast due to mould damage and club concern that memorial would become dated.[57] See also Icarus falling (c. 1964).
c. 1962 John Baskcomb Bust model Plaster for bronze Shown at The Group exhibition.[58] Possibly English character actor John Baskcomb.
c. 1963 Head of H. Winston Rhodes Bust Concrete Shown at The Group exhibition.[59] Harold Winston Rhodes was UC lecturer in English. See also Professor Winston Rhodes (c. 1989).
c. 1964 Icarus falling Bas-relief Concrete Also commissioned for Brevet Club.[57][60] Accessible at Spitfire Square, Christchurch.[61]
c. 1964 Shakespeare Sketch model Shown at The Group exhibition.[62] Commissioned for original Ngaio Marsh Theatre at UC. Proposed in concrete,[63] but produced in steel, see Shakespeare (c. 1967).
c. 1965 Echoing figure Statue Plaster Life-size Shown at first 20/20 Vision exhibition.[34]
c. 1966 Professor J.G.A. Pocock Shown at CSA exhibition.[36] J. G. A. Pocock was political historian who had periods studying and teaching at forerunner of UC.
c. 1967 Shakespeare Memorial Steel L 4000 × H 910 mm Commissioned for original Ngaio Marsh Theatre at UC. Etched with Shakespeare portrait.[49] Theatre damaged beyond repair by 2011 Christchurch earthquake then demolished.
1967 Moraine Freestanding Steel 1300 × 1000 × 1470 mm First formal abstraction.[25] In CAG collection.[27]
1967–68 Tuarau Freestanding Steel 460 × 380 × 380 mm Second formal abstraction.[25]
1968 The Sum of the Squares Freestanding Steel 677 × 1486 × 750 mm Third formal abstraction.[25] In CAG collection.[64]
c. 1968 Climactic Freestanding Metal Shown and for sale at The Group exhibition.[65][66]
c. 1968 St Ivo Freestanding Metal Shown and for sale at The Group exhibition.[67][66]
1970 IBM Centre external to internal Architectural Steel L 5200 × H 4400 mm Commissioned for 155–161 The Terrace, Wellington by owners A.M.P. Society,[37] following international competition.[35] Reviewed.[38]
1973 Palladian Subdivision Installation Multi-media At CSA Gallery. Palladian floor plan with piles of building materials later for sale in mock auction.[68] Conceptual and performance art.
1973 Queen Elizabeth II Park fountain Fountain Fountain Commissioned for 1974 British Commonwealth Games.[69][70] Park damaged beyond repair by 2011 Christchurch earthquake then demolished.
c. 1975 Ngaio Marsh Bust Plaster or concrete Mentioned by Taylor in anecdote about fire at UC School of Art on 21 March 1975, which destroyed his office.[71][72] Bronze of Marsh also produced, but year unknown.[1][23]
1976 Transit Architectural Steel 2700 × 4200 × 3300 mm Commissioned for University of Auckland Medical School.[28][39] Last formal abstraction. Reviewed.[6]
c. 1989 Professor Winston Rhodes Bust Bronze Commissioned as memorial for UC professor of English.[73][71]
1991–92 W. A. Sutton C.B.E. Bust Bronze 340 × 210 × 200 mm Painter Bill Sutton and Taylor were colleagues at UC School of Art. In CAG collection.[40]

Notes

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  1. ^ According to Architecture Now, the Lusk house and studio on Gloucester Street, Linwood, Christchurch were designed by Taylor.[43] However, Grant Banbury, who attended life drawing sessions at the house, wrote that it was designed, as an addition to an existing studio, by architect John Trengrove in 1972.[45] In the early 1970s, Lusk (as Mrs Doris Holland), Taylor and Trengrove all had leadership positions in the CSA,[46] whose gallery was also on Gloucester Street.

Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i TP 1994.
  2. ^ a b TP 1952.
  3. ^ TP 1947.
  4. ^ Ogilvie 1992, p. 132.
  5. ^ UCSoFA 1940.
  6. ^ a b c d e Dunn 2009, p. 105.
  7. ^ TP 1987a.
  8. ^ Ogilvie 1992, pp. 130, 132, 239.
  9. ^ UCSoFA 1950.
  10. ^ Barton 2014.
  11. ^ Dunn 2009, p. 160.
  12. ^ Strongman 2007.
  13. ^ a b Roberts & Milburn 2000, p. 83.
  14. ^ UC 1968.
  15. ^ McGahey 2000, p. 45.
  16. ^ McGahey 2000, p. 57.
  17. ^ Vangioni 2017.
  18. ^ McGahey 2000, pp. 134–135.
  19. ^ McGahey 2000, pp. 199–200.
  20. ^ McGahey 2000, pp. 238–239.
  21. ^ McGahey 2000, p. 241.
  22. ^ Roberts & Milburn 2000, pp. 83–84, 101.
  23. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Coley 1994.
  24. ^ Moore 2013.
  25. ^ a b c d e f Ascent 1968.
  26. ^ a b Roberts & Milburn 2000, p. 78.
  27. ^ a b c CAG 1967.
  28. ^ a b c UoAAC 1976.
  29. ^ TP 1969.
  30. ^ Roberts & Milburn 2000, pp. 101, 83.
  31. ^ Feeney 2008, pp. 35, 73.
  32. ^ Feeney 2008, pp. 18, 30–31.
  33. ^ Catchpole 1984, p. 163.
  34. ^ a b Roberts & Milburn 2000, p. 79.
  35. ^ a b TP 1970b.
  36. ^ a b CSA 1966, 218.
  37. ^ a b TP 1970a.
  38. ^ a b TD 1971.
  39. ^ a b Pollock 2014.
  40. ^ a b c CAG 1991.
  41. ^ Dunn 2009.
  42. ^ a b HNZ 2022.
  43. ^ a b c AN 2022.
  44. ^ Bolger 2021.
  45. ^ Banbury 2019.
  46. ^ CAG 1980.
  47. ^ TP 1953.
  48. ^ TP 1972b.
  49. ^ a b TP 1967.
  50. ^ TP 1972a.
  51. ^ RMAG 1982.
  52. ^ Roberts & Milburn 2000, pp. 79, 81–82.
  53. ^ McGahey 2000, p. 74.
  54. ^ Thomas 1981.
  55. ^ Vangioni 2011.
  56. ^ TP 1960.
  57. ^ a b TP 1964b.
  58. ^ TG 1962, 117.
  59. ^ TG 1963, 119.
  60. ^ TP 1964a.
  61. ^ CC 2024.
  62. ^ TG 1964.
  63. ^ TP 1964c.
  64. ^ CAG 1968.
  65. ^ TG 1968, 112.
  66. ^ a b TCS 1968.
  67. ^ TG 1968, 113.
  68. ^ Roberts & Milburn 2000, pp. 84–85.
  69. ^ TP 1973a.
  70. ^ TP 1973b.
  71. ^ a b TP 1989.
  72. ^ TP 1975.
  73. ^ TP 1987b.

References

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