"Circle of Friends"

Circle of Friends (2016) is a large wall work by New Zealand artist John Allen. At 1200mm in diameter, it commands a wall with powerful presence, and would be at home in a corporate boardroom, a significant public space, or a large private interior.

In a bay on the Northland coast, the artist found a rough piece of driftwood with an interesting shape and, on working with it, realised with astonishment that it was black maire — one of New Zealand’s rarest and most precious native timbers. Black maire is extraordinarily dense and hard, with a lustre that is unlike any other New Zealand wood. To find it as driftwood, shaped by the sea, was a rare gift.

Rather than work the timber as a single form, John cut it into thick pieces, which were then cut in half — and then the mirrored pairs assembled into a circle. It is not a perfect circle. The irregularity of the cut pieces means each contributes to the character of the whole. The interior of irregular pieces are painted. A copper inner rim runs around the interior — a unifying line of warm metal that gives the circle its coherence. Aluminium elements behind each join provide structural strength, invisible but essential.

The title, Circle of Friends, speaks to the way the piece is made: many different pieces, each distinct, held together by a common bond. It is a work about community, about individuality within unity — a resonant theme for any organisation that values people, collaboration, and connection.

Circle of Friends is an original artwork of rare material — an important piece for a significant space.

Specifications:

• Title: Circle of Friends (2016)
• Artist: John Allen
• Materials: Black maire driftwood (Northland), copper inner rim, aluminium, paint, oil
• Diameter: 1200 mm
• Weight: 22kg
• Display: Wall-hung
  
• Care: Indoor display recommended