Guy Ngan - New Zealand Modern Sculptor

Guy Ngan was born in Wellington in 1926, to Chinese parents, yet calls himself ‘Pacific Chinese’. He spent time in China before returning to New Zealand and then studying art in London. He has been a significant presence in the New Zealand art scene, and was director of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts from 1976 to 1986.In 2006 a major retrospective of his work was held at the City Gallery Wellington. Guy Ngan has lived in Stokes Valley for 50 years and he created the sculpture that resides at the entrance to Stokes Valley and has recently been commissioned by the Lower Hutt City Council to design and build another large sculpture for the Stokes Valley shopping centre. His collaborations with architect Ron Sang have led to some important large scale works including the Newton Post Office mural; now in the Auckland Art Gallery collection.
"Ngan made many contributions to the arts as an administrator. From 1976 to 1986 he was director of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. He was on the council of the New Zealand Industrial Design Council, and the National Art Gallery (to later be merged into Te Papa), and vice president of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts. He was awarded an OBE in 1983 and inducted into the Massey University College of Creative Arts Toi Rauwharangi Hall of Fame.
Guy Ngan’s work was often inspired by the history of early settlement in the Pacific, and explored his own place and identity in this part of the world. He described himself as Pacific Chinese, reflecting the theory that Polynesians, including Maori, originally came from Asia, particularly Taiwan. His work featured the three fingered ‘tiki hand’, as he called it, that suggested to him the claws of sea birds that the early migrations followed. The large anchor stones with holes for a rope that Maori used were another motif that inspired a body of work. And some of his cubic bronze sculptures suggest his Chinese ancestry in their resemblance to the faces of Chinese ‘chops’ used for stamping a signature."(tepapa.govt.nz)

Guy Ngan - New Zealand artist

Guy Ngan  (3 February 1926 – 26 June 2017) was a New Zealand artist who worked across a large range of media, including sculpture, painting, drawing, design and architecture. He is known for his incorporation of Māori motifs such as the tiki. Many of his works are in prominent places, such as the tapestry in the Beehive and sculpture at the Reserve Bank, while many others are dotted around the country in smaller towns and suburban locations such as Stokes Valley.Ngan was born in 1926 in Wellington to Chinese parents Wai Yin and Chin Ting, but he called himself “Pacific Chinese”.During his young years, he was educated in China. In 1938 a Japanese bomb dropped next door while they were having breakfast. Ngan’s father took Guy and his brother to Hong Kong and put them on a boat to New Zealand and they never saw him again. Guy Ngan attended Newtown School but he was unhappy and then stayed with relatives in Miramar. In 1951, he studied at Goldsmith’s School of Art at the University of London. In the same year he was allowed entry to the Royal College of Art, in London. In 1954, he graduated and was given the Royal College Continuation Scholarship for one year. He was paid £600. In 1955 the British Council awarded him with a scholarship and an allowance of £12 a week and all travel expenses paid for.In 1956 he returned to New Zealand. He worked as a consultant at the architecture division for the Ministry of Works. He worked here until 1960 and then went to work for Stephenson and Turner Architects until 1970. Ngan then became the director of New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts for 20 years. During this time he encouraged New Zealand artists to promote their art talents at museums. He also encouraged Māori and cultural art.Ngan worked as a painter, artist, architect and designer. Many of his work are displayed in important and historical buildings across New Zealand, including the Beehive. Other public installations are at the Stokes Valley roundabout and the "Elevating Worm" sculpture in the Stokes Valley shopping centre.Wikipedia