Sean Crawford

4 Urban Angels, Laser-cut stainless steel, etched, and powder-coated, 12V light 

21 The Looking Tree, Galvanized tube and laser cut stainless steel with powder-coat render 

Urban Angels

Far more commonplace than many of us would prefer, the orange traffic cone is seen as a marker - often interacting with the natural world. 

In this work, the traffic cone is subverted from a ‘warning marker’ to a ‘beacon of light.’ By redefining the senses through this transformation, the cones become evocative ‘natural pattern’ projectors. 

As we navigate the urban world, we are drawn to follow the beacon of light that the Piwakawaka/Fantail shines forth. Ultimately, these sculptures are intended to signal a call for a more connected and conscious illumination of the natural (natures) rhythms within us all. 

The Looking Tree (‘Nature’ of Surveillance)

We all know the purpose of security cameras are to record information, but what is the impact on humanity of this increasing surveillance?  

With ‘tracked and traced’ movements recorded as patterns, this is juxtaposed with the idea that it’s within these patterns that one becomes identified. For example, in the context of facial recognition software, it is the uniqueness in the patterns of one’s face that enables us to be mapped.  

Formed by cameras depicting patterns of NZ flora and fauna, this work hopes to remind us of the solace we once felt being inconspicuous in the landscape. 

Sean Crawford is a successful New Zealand sculptor, based in the rural 

Wairarapa, whose works are sought after both nationally and overseas. His narrative-driven art practice frequently highlights environmental and social themes with history playing an important role. Many of his works reflect on New Zealand's colonial past, while also being influenced by Gothic storyteller Edgar Allen Poe and NZ artist Bill Hammond.  

Along with public artworks around New Zealand, Sean's work The Cloak of Remembrance sits outside the New Zealand embassy in Washington DC - a sign that his ideas are both respected and relevant on the world stage.