New Zealand city bids farewell to 'disturbing' hand sculpture

Oct. 30 (UPI) -- A controversial sculpture of a giant hand with a human face is being removed from atop a gallery in Wellington, New Zealand, after overlooking the city for five years.

Quasi, a sculpture by Ronnie van Hout, was originally commissioned by the Christchurch Art Gallery in 2016, and was moved to the top of City Gallery Wellington in 2019.

The 16.4-foot-tall sculpture, based on van Hout's own hand and face, proved immediately controversial with some Wellington residents and was branded "disturbing" on social media.

Wellington Sculpture Trust Chair Jane Black said in a Wellington City Council news release that the sculpture will be missed.

"No other, before or since, arrived so dramatically into our street-scape. Quasi arrived on an azure-blue morning by helicopter and created a stir from day one, locally, nationally and internationally. He was a great cheerleader for Wellington's creativity, and as Time magazine said, our 'quirkiness,'" Black said. "He will be missed and leaves a Quasi-shaped hole on our civic skyline."

Quasi is scheduled to be removed Saturday and will travel to Australia, but a new venue for the sculpture has yet to be announced.