Alan Gibbs
Encyclopedia
Alan Gibbs is a New Zealand
businessman, entrepreneur, and art patron; and one of New Zealand
's wealthiest residents. National Business Review
magazine estimates his wealth at $450 million.
, served in New Zealand’s diplomatic corps during the 1960s.
His business ventures began in the 1960s when he began importing domestic electrical appliances, and attempted to launch the first New Zealand produced motorcar; the Anziel Nova
.
By the 1970s he owned Auckland
's largest car yard, Tappenden Motors. In the 1980s he ran a merchant bank
, led the privatization and restructuring of Telecom New Zealand
, and the country’s government-owned forestry sector, and in the 1990s he helped set up Sky TV
.
He is well known in New Zealand for his support of ACT New Zealand, a small libertarian political party, to which he donated NZ$200,000 in 2008 alone according to disclosure records published by the New Zealand Electoral Commission. Gibbs is the founder of Gibbs Technologies, a company that is working to produce amphibious all-terrain vehicles (Quadski), a car (Aquada) and a military vehicle (Humdinga). Gibbs has been working on the project since the late 1990s. He and his partner, Neil Jenkins, have largely funded the company out of their own money.
, 60 km north of Auckland
in the Kaipara District
near the towns of Kaukapakapa
and Araparera. Gibbs took some of his inspiration from visiting the Storm King Art Center
in New York state.
Among the art works installed on The Farm are monumental pieces by contemporary artists Andy Goldsworthy
, Anish Kapoor
, Daniel Buren
, George Rickey
and Richard Serra
. Some of the art works are large enough to be seen from satellite images at high magnification. The outdoor works of sculpture include the following pieces:
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
businessman, entrepreneur, and art patron; and one of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's wealthiest residents. National Business Review
National Business Review
The National Business Review is a weekly New Zealand newspaper aimed at the business sector. The paper is owned by Barry Colman who also publishes the Grocers Review and several other small trade publications....
magazine estimates his wealth at $450 million.
Career
He studied engineering and economics at University of CanterburyUniversity of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
, served in New Zealand’s diplomatic corps during the 1960s.
His business ventures began in the 1960s when he began importing domestic electrical appliances, and attempted to launch the first New Zealand produced motorcar; the Anziel Nova
Anziel Nova
The Anziel Nova was meant to be New Zealand's first domestically produced car.It was unveiled in September 1967, however never reached production....
.
By the 1970s he owned Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
's largest car yard, Tappenden Motors. In the 1980s he ran a merchant bank
Merchant bank
A merchant bank is a financial institution which provides capital to companies in the form of share ownership instead of loans. A merchant bank also provides advisory on corporate matters to the firms they lend to....
, led the privatization and restructuring of Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand
Telecom New Zealand is a New Zealand-wide communications service provider , providing fixed line telephone services, a mobile network, an internet service provider , a major ICT provider to NZ businesses , and a wholesale network infrastructure provider to other NZ CSPs...
, and the country’s government-owned forestry sector, and in the 1990s he helped set up Sky TV
SKY Network Television
Sky Network Television Limited , , is a New Zealand pay television service. On 30 June 2011, Sky had 829,421 subscribers, which comprises:*808,617 digital subscribers*20,840 other subscribers...
.
He is well known in New Zealand for his support of ACT New Zealand, a small libertarian political party, to which he donated NZ$200,000 in 2008 alone according to disclosure records published by the New Zealand Electoral Commission. Gibbs is the founder of Gibbs Technologies, a company that is working to produce amphibious all-terrain vehicles (Quadski), a car (Aquada) and a military vehicle (Humdinga). Gibbs has been working on the project since the late 1990s. He and his partner, Neil Jenkins, have largely funded the company out of their own money.
Art Collection - "The Farm"
Gibbs is also one of New Zealand's leading art patrons, and has been establishing a sprawling 1000 acres (4 km²) private art park at "The Farm", his country house and park which is located on New Zealand's North IslandNorth Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, 60 km north of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
in the Kaipara District
Kaipara District
-Geography:Kaipara District is located in the low hills around the northern shores of the Kaipara Harbour, a large natural harbour open to the Tasman Sea...
near the towns of Kaukapakapa
Kaukapakapa
Kaukapakapa is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is situated in the Rodney district and is around 50 kilometres northwest of Auckland. State Highway 16 passes through the town, connecting it to Helensville about 12 km to the south-west, and Araparera about 14 km to the north....
and Araparera. Gibbs took some of his inspiration from visiting the Storm King Art Center
Storm King Art Center
The Storm King Art Center in Mountainville, New York is an open air museum which has extended the concept of a "sculpture garden" to become a "sculpture landscape." Founded in 1960 by Ralph E. Ogden as a museum for Hudson Valley painters, it soon expanded into a major sculpture venue with the...
in New York state.
Among the art works installed on The Farm are monumental pieces by contemporary artists Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy, OBE is a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist producing site-specific sculpture and land art situated in natural and urban settings. He lives and works in Scotland.-Life and career:The son of F...
, Anish Kapoor
Anish Kapoor
Anish Kapoor CBE RA is a British sculptor of Indian birth. Born in Mumbai , Kapoor has lived and worked in London since the early 1970s when he moved to study art, first at the Hornsey College of Art and later at the Chelsea School of Art and Design.He represented Britain in the XLIV Venice...
, Daniel Buren
Daniel Buren
Daniel Buren is a French conceptual artist.- Work :Sometimes classified as an abstract minimalist Buren is known best for using regular, contrasting maxi stripes to integrate the visual surface and architectural space, notably historical, landmark architecture.Among his chief concerns is the...
, George Rickey
George Rickey
George Rickey was an American kinetic sculptor.Rickey was born on June 6, 1907 in South Bend, Indiana.-Life and work:...
and Richard Serra
Richard Serra
Richard Serra is an American minimalist sculptor and video artist known for working with large-scale assemblies of sheet metal. Serra was involved in the Process Art Movement.-Early life and education:...
. Some of the art works are large enough to be seen from satellite images at high magnification. The outdoor works of sculpture include the following pieces:
- Horizons, by Neil DawsonNeil DawsonNeil Dawson is a prominent New Zealand sculptor. His best known works are large-scale civic pieces crafted from aluminium and stainless steel, often made using a lattice of natural forms which between them form a geometric whole...
(1994) - The Mermaid, by Marijke de Goey (1999) - 36°31′15.91"S 174°26′26.92"E
- Electrum, by Eric Orr and Greg Leyh, (1997) the world's largest Tesla coilTesla coilA Tesla coil is a type of resonant transformer circuit invented by Nikola Tesla around 1891. It is used to produce high voltage, low current, high frequency alternating current electricity. Tesla coils produce higher current than the other source of high voltage discharges, electrostatic machines...
, (38 feet tall) - Te Tuhirangi Contour by Richard SerraRichard SerraRichard Serra is an American minimalist sculptor and video artist known for working with large-scale assemblies of sheet metal. Serra was involved in the Process Art Movement.-Early life and education:...
(1999/2001)- 36°31′23.3"S 174°26′43.22"E - Arches, by Andy GoldsworthyAndy GoldsworthyAndy Goldsworthy, OBE is a British sculptor, photographer and environmentalist producing site-specific sculpture and land art situated in natural and urban settings. He lives and works in Scotland.-Life and career:The son of F...
(2005) - 36°31′16.16"S 174°25′40.65"E - Dismemberment Stage 1, by Anish KapoorAnish KapoorAnish Kapoor CBE RA is a British sculptor of Indian birth. Born in Mumbai , Kapoor has lived and worked in London since the early 1970s when he moved to study art, first at the Hornsey College of Art and later at the Chelsea School of Art and Design.He represented Britain in the XLIV Venice...
(2009) - 36°31′22.93"S 174°25′55.17"E
External links
- A Great Day Out at the Farm many photos, articles about the Farm and its art and open house event.
- Culture Republic large photos of large art at the Farm.
- Farm Directory brochure with information about art works.