Born in Christchurch, Johnny Turner has travelled widely and draws inspiration from classical mythology, indigenous culture and the Japanese aesthetic. Creating works which are perfectly poised in space, Turner gives classical forms a contemporary interpretation, referencing history, memory and ancestral provenance.

Carved from Italian marble and local basalt, the sinuous Ancestor’s Sail carries a message of navigation; the proud chest of the sculpture suggesting a sailing ship’s wind-filled sail or the gentle curve of a bird’s wing. Ancestor’s Sail invites us to reflect on our whakapapa, the voyages made by our ancestors, and what ‘home’ means.

Turner’s respect for the intrinsic language of stone calls for a deep sense of a partnership with the material: “Created over thousands of years from massive pressure and resultant heat, these stones have been transformed from a soft substance into a phenomenally durable material of heightened purity. I was taught how to listen to the sound of a stone. It’s a magic feeling…when I find it, I have to stay with it and give it the love and care it deserves.”