Llew Summers

New Zealand’s highly acclaimed sculptor, Llew Summers died on the 1st of August 2019. His monumental sculptures in bronze, concrete and stone are highly visible in public spaces throughout New Zealand.  

Summers was born in Christchurch, New Zealand in 1947 and his career has spanned  more than 50 years. In 1971 he held his first exhibition of 27 works, and since then has held many one-man shows as well as exhibiting alongside other artists including: Tony Fomison, Fatu Feu’u, Michael Smither, Tom Mutch, Peter Carson, Roger Hickin, Bing Dawe and Graham Bennett.

Two of his large bronze works ‘To the End of Love’ and ‘Butterfly’ were purchased by Auckland Botanical Gardens as permanent placements in 2007 and 2016.

Summers figures have a remarkable sense of lightness, movement and harmony, despite their size.

 “What’s important to me is to get a balance between the physical and the spiritual in life. We’re given a soul and we’re given a body. Sculpture provides a nice balance, because works can be made which are meaningful, but they require your physical body to produce them. Rather than just being clever or smart, the work must have soul.”

Summers has been represented in ARTIS since 2012 and has participated in The Auckland Art Fair and numerous ‘Selection Shows’ at ARTIS. His work is held in corporate and private collections throughout New Zealand and in many countries overseas. Awards include the BNZ Art Award and the BP Art Award in the 1980s and the Arts Excellence Award (Community Trust, Christchurch) in 1997.