Toroa (sculpture) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Toroa |
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_by_Peter_Nicholls_on_Otago_Harbour_in_Dunedin,_New_Zealand,_Dec_2018.jpg)
Toroa (1989) by Peter Nicholls
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| Artist | Peter Nicholls |
| Year | 1989 |
| Medium | timber |
| Subject | Northern royal albatross |
| Dimensions | 4 m (13 ft) |
| Location | Dunedin, New Zealand |
| 45°52′45.8″S 170°30′23.1″E / 45.879389°S 170.506417°E | |
Toroa is a large sculpture created in 1989 by a New Zealand artist named Peter Nicholls. You can find it in Dunedin, New Zealand, right on the edge of Otago Harbour. This artwork is also part of the collection at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
All About the Toroa Sculpture
What is Toroa?
The sculpture is 4 meters (about 13 feet) tall. It's made from big pieces of wood. These pieces are arranged to look like the huge wings of an albatross. The name Toroa is actually the Māori word for albatross.
Why an Albatross?
The sculpture is placed where you can see Otago Peninsula. This peninsula is a special place because it's home to the only breeding colony of royal albatrosses on any inhabited mainland in the world. This means it's the only place where these amazing birds raise their young near people. The sculpture helps us remember these incredible birds and their ability to fly, even though they are very large.
How Toroa Was Built
When Toroa was first made, it was built using a type of wood called macrocarpa timber. This wood is beautiful but can wear down quickly when it's outside in the weather.
_by_Peter_Nicholls_as_it_appears_in_October_2020.jpg)
Because of this, the sculpture was rebuilt in 2020. The new version uses a much stronger wood called purpleheart. This is a very hard wood from South America that can handle the weather much better.
