The Red elephant of Khyber Pass, Auckland New Zealand, UPDATE.

In the early 1990's I was involved in the design and building of many commercially oriented public sculptures and 3D signs.

This project, a ferro cement, generic elephant, was built for the Chang Tong Thai Restaurant, now known as the Red Elephant.

UPDATE.

After 35 years, and closure of the Red Elephant Thai Restaurant, The Red Elephant was bought by Peter Harris, who has moved him to his home in Langs Beach.

Peter found me on this blog. He contacted me asking numerous questions about the construction and placement of the elephant. Despite so many years elapsing, I was able to recall every detail of the project. I was instrumental in making it possible for Peter and his team to uplift and transport Abdul [named in honour of its previous owner] to his new location on Peter's property at Langs Beach in Northland. To find out more scroll down to the NZ Herald article written by Northland Journalist, Peter de Graaf. July 1st 2024.

The Golden Elephant of Khyber Pass, Auckland, New Zealand with the company ute in the foreground. Photo taken by me in 1991.

Here are a few surviving images of the building process.

The armature beginning to reveal the shape of the elephant in 3 D.

Another perspective of the steel armature in the workshop.

Armature with most of its wire netting applied, those are my boys, Robert and Arien.

A trunk down perspective of the plastering process.

I developed a very successful plaster mixture by blending Portland cement with equal parts of sand and macerated news paper which was power mixed with a paddle and a drill. It clung to the two layers of mesh extremely well.

What the paster application looked like from inside.

A young Rachel Hunter looks on.

My son Arien as Mahout

The detail was added as a second plaster layer using a variety of metal shapes bent out of steel sheet.

Swinging the sculpture from the low loader into position outside the restaurant in Khyber Pass, Auckland NZ. It weighed 1.5 tonnes.

My daughter Rebekka loved the excitement of Dad's job.

In position, my children from left to right, Robert, Rebekka, Arien in his favourite position.

This is my son Robert with the red elephant in 2012

Auckland wildlife

Abdul the red elephant being uplifted by his new owner,
Peter Harris.

Loaded on to a car transport trailer, Abdul made his way north to
Langs Beach.

Harmen's retrospective sign art

The following signs are next to each other in line down Beaumont Street near the entrance to Westhaven Boat Marina.
All these signs have lasted through 15 years, a long time in this industry & in this city! (Auckland) Testament to my philosophy that quality workmanship is appreciated and valued.
They are only a fraction of the work that I have been involved in, some of it simply escaped without being recorded, still more will appear in due course.
I wish to acknowledge the people with whom I had the pleasure of working during my time as a sign writer and mural painter, the team at Signing On, particularly Ross, Tom & Joy Hall, Mike Tolley, Dylan & Damien Lee, Chris Verral, Canon Smith, Al (Bundy) Wier, Mike Stoneyman, Mark James, Anthony Gray & Jimmy Z; couldn't have done it without you!

Starting with the big plywood Coke bottle on the side of the lunch bar, 1992: I took this photo in 2005 and it still looks fresh!

I painted this large installation with automotive lacquer after cutting out the form from 6 sheets of 8'x 4' plywood. The ice cubes are partly painted onto the building and some are also from plywood. The blue sign emerging from the right side of this photo is the next sign job featured...

Bean Rock Lighthouse: 1992, also still there in 2005 and looking good!

This was something of a team effort on account of its size.
I painted the blend on the building, water, clouds etc with and automotive spray gun and acrylic paint. With Chris Verral, I built a fiberglass awning in the shape of a reef complete with marine life. The lighthouse was built by my colleague Julian Pirie and me. It's a 1/4 scale replica of an historic wooden light house marking a reef at the entrance to Auckland harbour.
Mural details follow...

Schnapper appearing from around the back of the sign.

Blue Moki swims off nervously.

The reef and shop front awning.

The next shop on the block 1992: Large Mural of storm waves for a marine rescue supply shop.

acrylic house paint on to brick, one of the most difficult of all substrates.
Photo 2005.

Ayers Rock for jacob's Creek wines. 1989.

Before computers and printers dominated the outdoor graphics industry I had to paint these by hand. I painted 10 of these 3 x 10 meter bill boards with very volatile etching inks onto PVC fabric using a combination of airbrush, spray gun and sea sponge.

Graphics on a fleet of 10 vehicles for a local radio station, 1989. Airbrushed on to JAC decal transfer vinyl with automotive acrylic lacquer.

Dave's surf board, 1986
Airbrushed on to foam before glassing.