The sculpture is designed by Weta Workshop and has been hoisted up overnight at the airport’s main lounge. The giant Gollum statue is 40-feet long and about 10-feet-high. Suspended over the food court, the sculpture appears to reach out of the terminal wall, attempting to catch three over-sized fishes, which are four metres long in size. These fishes are suspended in front of the Gollum sculpture complete with bubbles as he dunks his head underwater to catch a fish with his hand.
Crew from Weta spent four months creating the installation, which is predominantly made out of polystyrene, using Weta Workshop-designed robotic technology as well as chainsaws to carve the pieces. Japanese fine art sculptor Masayuki Ohashi took the workshop’s design and made it into a reality, using chainsaws to carve out the fish and Gollum pieces.
The sculpture of the Lord of the Rings character has been installed to celebrate the upcoming release of prequel film, ‘The Hobbit.’ It will temporarily be renamed ‘The Middle of Middle Earth’.
The city of Wellington is hosting the premiere of the film on 28 November 2012, and is hosting a variety of events across the month to coincide with the release. Hobbit-inspired coins will be introduced as legal tender, with a procession to take place throughout the city. Wellington residents will also be able to watch the premiere on big screens.
