The James K Baxter Project

The James K Baxter Project

Background

In 1968 renowned New Zealand poet and social activist James Keir Baxter moved to the village of Jerusalem (Hiruharama) on the Whanganui River. He had a vision to live simply, off the land, write and be enveloped in his catholic faith. The local Iwi provided him with a house near to an urupa (cemetery) and so his community and one of his best creative periods began.

When James Keir Baxter passed away in 1972 his body was returned to the people of Hiruharama who had come to love and admire him. He was buried in the urupa he had lived next to. Perhaps it is due to the calibre of work he produced while living at Hiruharama, or perhaps it is because he is buried there that the people of Whanganui have taken his legacy to heart. Here in Whanganui he is still spoken of often, people share memories and admiration. Bus trips are organised to visit his grave and his works are always in stock in local book stores. It is this sense of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of his memory that has been the catalyst for the James K Baxter Project.

The Sculpture

In 1968 Whanganui sculptor Joan Bullock Morrell learned that James K Baxter was living at Hiruharama. Joan was a great admirer of his poetry and decided she would like to sculpt him. She sent a telegram up to Hiruharama introducing herself and asking if James would sit for her. Several weeks later she received a simple three word telegram in reply, “I’d be delighted.” So began a friendship that resulted in many hours in front of Joan’s fire talking and musing as James read his poems and Joan studied him, taking in every nuance of his face and expression. The artistic result of this friendship was a bronze bust. Joan remains the only New Zealand sculptor to have sculpted James K Baxter from life and the bust she created remains the most recognised sculptural example of James's likeness.

In 2010 Joan was visiting a local book store, Paige’s Book Gallery. While in the store she discussed with its owner, Lesley Stead, how she had always thought of placing a sculpture of James K Baxter on the corner outside her shop. She explained that the last conversation she ever had with him was on that corner. She described in great detail, how he used to walk, how he always looked deep in thought and how she imagined the sculpture would look. Lesley was a member of a local business support group known as The Guyton Group Trust. She took the concept to them and the James K Baxter Project was born. It was decided that completion of the sculpture would represent the first phase of the project.

Project Aims

1. To create a life size bronze sculpture of James K Baxter, sculpted by Joan Bullock Morrell

2. To place the sculpture on Guyton Street in Whanganui's town centre

3. To create a poetry trail that begins on Guyton Street and culminates at Hiruharama up the Whanganui river

4. To advertise the poetry trail as a visitor activity via a published guide to be distributed through the

i-Site and local book stores

Why Guyton Street?

• It was the last place Joan ever saw her friend James K Baxter

• Many locals recall how James always walked along Guyton Street. It was his familiar route into town. With James belonging to the Catholic faith, the Catholic Church in Guyton Street was a place of importance to him.

• Most public sculptural works in Whanganui are sited on the river’s edge, as a point of difference it was decided to site this sculpture in the town centre.

Project Delivery

• A cast was taken of Joan’s original bust. This will form the head of the full body sculpture.

• Joan’s long time friend Ross Wilson has agreed to be the foundryman for this project. Ross has worked alongside Joan for many years and understands her preferences well. Ross uses the lost wax method of casting. Mike McDonald has agreed to install the sculpture; he has installed several of Ross’s public sculptures such as John Plimmer at the foot of Plimmer Steps in Wellington.

• All necessary permissions and resource consents from Whanganui District Council have been granted.

• Joan Bullock Morrell is now 87 years old. The Guyton Group Trust is committed to completing and installing the sculpture by the end of 2016 in the hope that Joan will be able to attend the unveiling.

Why donate to this project?

• James K Baxter is not only renowned in New Zealand but worldwide. His works are studied at Oxford and Cambridge Universities in the UK. Whanganui receives national and international visitors annually who ask about James K Baxter and where they can learn more about him. This project aims to give visitors and admirers of James K Baxter's work a place to recognise and celebrate his legacy.

• New Zealand is a young nation and James K Baxter was one of our unique literary voices. We have many public sculptures celebrating founding fathers, sporting heroes and fallen soldiers but we do not have many that celebrate our creative and literary icons.

• This sculpture will be a physical manifestation of the deep love and affection that the people of New Zealand still feel for James K Baxter. It was initiated and is headed by a local community based, business support group. It has the support of his surviving children, the James K Baxter Trust, the Whanganui District Council and Whanganui Iwi.

• Joan Bullock Morrell is an established New Zealand Sculptor and pioneering woman in her field of artistic expression. Her works are held in public and private collections throughout New Zealand and overseas. Joan has already contributed several public sculptures to parks and reserves in Whanganui. This sculpture will be her last public work.

Money raised to date - $15,000

Money required to complete the sculpture - $85,000

Your donation will be put towards the completion of this sculpture. The trust also has several other grant applications pending and other fundraising initiatives planned. Find us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/JKBaxterProject to follow our progress.

Every little bit helps, thanks so much for your support.