Seven-metre tall bouquets bloom on Wellington's waterfront

08 Jun 2026

Big Flowers for a Wild City is the latest installation to grace the Collin Post Four Plinths on Wellington’s waterfront. Resene BlackWhite recently got the opportunity to talk to artist Martin Basher about his work and about working with Resene to bring it to completion.

How did the commission to produce Big Flowers for a Wild City come about?

I’ve been thinking about these sculptures for several years and had been waiting for the right time and location to make them. The Wellington Sculpture Trust administers the Collin Post Four Plinths Project and commissions new work every two years for them. I was fortunate to be able to pitch to the trust in 2024 and then was able to get the project going in 2025.

Artist Martin Basher during the creation of his work Big Flowers for a Wild City for the Collin Post Four Plinths Project.

What was your inspiration for the colour scheme of the sculptures?

I wanted these sculptures to present something really energetic and joyous. My approach was to loosely base them on a rainbow spectrum. Looking out at the sculptures, towards the harbour, the leftmost work begins with a warm purple and red, the next is orange-yellow, the third is yellow-green and the fourth is finally blue-teal.

How did you get involved with Resene in the making of this piece?

Honestly, approaching Resene felt like a no-brainer; it’s New Zealand’s paint company after all, and I have always admired Resene’s commitment to supporting arts and the community. I was introduced to owner Nick Nightingale via the Wellington Sculpture Trust, and he connected me to the technical team.

Finished in Resene Enamacryl, the saturated colours imbue the sculptures with a joyous energy that contrasts the natural stone facades of the adjacent buildings.

What guidance did the Resene team provide?

The technical team were amazing. They walked me through all the paint options for the project from start to finish and directed me to some absolutely terrific products. One that I particularly loved was Clearcoat UVS. It’s a high-gloss exterior clear coat for added UV protection over bright colors – which is obviously pretty essential under the New Zealand sun. It can be brushed or rolled, but I opted to spray it – it goes on absolutely beautifully, and being water based it’s quick to dry. I was able to put on two coats across all 120 discs in the sculptures over just a couple of days, and the result is flawless.

What materials did you use for this piece?

The structural components and ‘flower stems' are all made from steel. The ‘flower discs’ and leaves are made from laminated structural ply with a coating of fibreglass and resin. These were finished in Resene Enamacryl. We initially investigated using Resene industrial coatings but settled on the high-gloss waterborne paint because the colour range is unmatched. Plus, if it’s tough enough for the exteriors of New Zealand’s homes, with our high UV light, then it’s definitely tough enough for a decade or more on my sculptures. Big props also for how well the paint went on with a HVLP spray gun. The finish is close to what I would have got with two-part automotive paints, but without the toxicity or need for bake ovens etc. It made the painting a pleasure. Thanks Resene.

Is there a particular message you want visitors to Big Flowers for a Wild City to take away with them?

The meaning of this work is really up to the viewer. About a million people pass the sculptures every year, and they come from every walk of life, so I want the work to be really open to interpretation. As a kid, I was always fascinated by the weird and wonderful sculptures around Wellington. Now that I'm a dad, I wanted to make the work equally interesting for my kids, or other little ones out there who might themselves become artists in the future.

Published: 08 Jun 2026