Paul Dibble

The sculpture entitled 'All Creatures Great - One Whale = Ten Elephants' sits outside the main entrance to the Central Library.

The sculpture is based on a notion from an old children's nature book.  Paul says "When I was a kid in the 1950s, some English books used to use numbers of one thing to give an idea of the size of something else. For instance, the height of 10 elephants equals the height of one whale".

These endangered mammals hold a lintel upon which is an oversized arm holding a plumb bob.

"The elephant is the largest land mammal, and the whale the largest sea mammal. Lots of emotion is attached to saving these creatures and one of the great concerns as we reach the end of the century is saving the planet.

The hand and the plumb bob signify 'it's in our hands' as we manage the planet, the environment. It goes back to preciousness, balance and protection. It's a very fine balance."

The piece was entirely cast here in Palmerston North at the Dibbles' studio.