The Reintroduction of the Fabulous Races

Title of artwork: The Reintroduction of the Fabulous Races

Artist: Bing Dawe & Noel Gregg, with James (Wally) Wallace

Date: 1990

Category of work: Sculpture

Media: Painted steel; 7 fences, each 2500mm (H) x 2100mm (W)

Where you can see it: Worcester Boulevard, on the grass lawn near Boys’ High, immediately to the right of Market Square

Thanks to: Christchurch City Council

This sculpture was commissioned by Christchurch City Council as a structure for children’s play in Cathedral Square. It is comprised of seven panels linked as a fence.

The “fabulous races” are creatures from Greek Mythology, including dog-men (Cynocephalus) and men with a single foot (Sciapod or Monopod) depicted on the sculpture. Such creatures are intertwined in the fence.

The sculpture was designed by Bing Dawe and made by Noel Gregg. James Wallace (1946-2025), then Director of the American Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, was invited to contribute to the final panel, and the “fantastic flower” is attributed to him. Dawe painted the sculptural elements in red, green, and gold.

The sculpture proved controversial. After eventually installing it on the opposite side of Cathedral Square from the children’s playground in 1990, the city council decided to gift the sculpture to The Arts Centre in 1992. It was subsequently repainted gunmetal grey. See also: https://publicart.nz/artworks/bing-dawe-noel-gregg-1990/