ETHAN ROGACION (HE/HIM)
PICTURED: Quasi on various buildings and modes of public transport in Te Whanganui-a-Tara
Love him or hate him, there’s one thing you cannot deny: Quasi is a large fella.
Since 2019, all five metres of his polystyrene, steel and resin visage has loomed over Te Ngākau Civic Square from the roof of City Gallery Wellington. He’s watched over graduation parades, protests and new art exhibitions, an enduring reminder that Pōneke is, in fact, kinda freaky.
But his future is uncertain. City Gallery will leave its current home until at least 2026 due to ongoing construction work in the Civic Square precinct, as well as internal building repair work. In the meantime, the Gallery will be running its exhibitions out of other arts institutions in Wellington like Te Papa, and the Dowse in Lower Hutt.
Delyse Diack, Acting Director Te Matapihi for Experience Wellington - the organisation which runs the Gallery— told Salient that, “The gallery team are working with the artist on the next steps for Quasi,” and are presently unable to give us any more information about his fate. Salient tried approaching Quasi himself for comment, but were unable to due to the jungle of closed footpaths and entryways blocking access into Civic Square.
Quasi was designed by artist Ronnie van Hout in 2016, making his home on the roof of Christchurch Art Gallery in an attempt to—and this is true—“liven up” their civic centre following the 2011 earthquake. As if the people of Christchurch hadn’t suffered enough. According to City Gallery’s website, part of Quasi’s motivation for moving to the capital—other than his love for our better coffee and worse housing—was to “haunt City Gallery’s roof … presiding over a Civic Square largely abandoned in the wake of our own 2016 quake.” It seems that wherever destruction and disrepair appear, Quasi follows: a grim angel of death watching over the withering remains of our decaying cities.
Christchurch Art Gallery’s lead curator Felicity Milburn told Salient that, “Quasi came into being down here in 2016, when this city was still living through vast and almost constant change—so it feels right that he has become the hands-down king of the surprise pop up.”
Just as they were torn on whether he is good or… not, Wellingtonians are also divided on what Quasi’s future should look like. Should he move to the roof of another Wellington landmark? Perhaps he should move to my flat’s front garden, inspiring me everyday to do even better journalism (pretty please)? Or, should we go with the unthinkable and… send him back to Christchurch? Salient took to Clubs Day last week to gather some thoughts.
VUWSA President Marcail Parkinson and Equity Officer Josh Robinson both want to see Quasi move up the hill to the University, with Robinson saying that Quasi would fit right in on top of the VUWSA Building at Kelburn. Parkinson, on the other hand, wants to bring our five-fingered friend closer to earth on the Tim Beaglehole Courtyard, at eye level with students.
“I think it's a beautiful piece that really talks a lot about Wellington’s culture: two in the pink one in the stink’s really a great statement to make about Wellington and student life…”
Labour MP Greg O’Connor told Salient that Quasi, “like a lot of art, becomes part of the flora and fauna of the city.” When told about the possibility that Cantabrians might want Quasi back, O’Connor replied, “No! No, no, no.”
Green MP Francisco Hernandez, meanwhile, said he thought it would be “pretty funny” for Quasi to grace the rooftop of another Pōneke icon: the Beehive.
All incredibly worthy suggestions indeed. Your move, Experience Wellington.