Sean Crawford

It is not the object that defines us - it merely implicates us.

Sean Crawford is a New Zealand sculptor who has attained national and international recognition for his innovative multimedia and steel artwork. Known for having a layered approach to his art, Sean works in corten steel, laser-cut steel, reclaimed timber, and taxidermy, among other forms. His works are often large—depicting, for instance, a life-size antlered stag head—with intricate details, such as laser-cut fantail shapes or a metal huia bird skull.

Sean’s artistic range includes: stainless steel garden art cut into contemporary life-size animal sculptures; novel wall artworks inspired by what he calls the new ‘Pacific Modern’; and sculptural pieces artistically exploring NZ landscapes and history in meticulous, multimedia detail. The sources of his inspiration are just as varied - the Wairarapa bush or the vibrant cultures of Central America; the woodworking techniques he learned from his boat builder father; the contradictions of New Zealand’s colonial past; the stories of Edgar Allen Poe and the paintings of Bill Hammond.

Having grown up in Wellington, Sean is now based in rural Carterton, where his studio looks out over the foothills of the Tararua mountain range. Art and the great outdoors were features of Sean’s childhood. He could draw before he could walk (or so the family story goes!). Holidaying in the Wairarapa, Sean spent his summer helping out on local farms with livestock and pest control.

Sean’s first trade as a plumber taught him to think and create in three dimensions. After his apprenticeship, he spent five years traveling overseas, returning home with a renewed passion for art and design. He graduated with a Bachelor of Design in 2003, and has been a full-time sculptor ever since.

One of the highlights of Sean’s career to date was the 2015 commissioned sculpture ‘Waiting for Hammond’, a two metre tall Huia bird set on a headland overlooking the Irish Sea in Cork. It’s a sign that his ideas, although largely home-grown, are just as relevant on the world stage.

Sean also made the stunning sculptural artwork seen outside Art by the River (pictured during installation).

The TAGGED Series

Graffiti has travelled from the fringe of society to arrive as an accepted art form. This body of work is a study of the empty spray can and a homage to the embodiment of graffiti art. 

The act of subversively marking territories or publicly displaying ‘slogans of discontent’ is synonymous with the humble spray can. Embodying the act of social and anti-social expression, it becomes a tool to subvert narrative, as well as the expression of graffiti art as a valid component of contemporary art forms.

Within this series, each spray can is an original. The colorful laser-cut designs that create each individual form are different; these component graphics become representations of the endless potential of both the ‘art maker’ and the tool. 

No longer containing (or even capable of containing) their liquid contents, they are discarded, marking the ‘scene of the crime.’ Expelled of its colorful mischief – the spent can remains a potent symbol of the act of subversive art.

Art by the River is the newest art gallery Whanganui has to offer, opening in December 2024. This fine art gallery features a blend of well-known and emerging New Zealand artists, alongside an exclusive art Collectables selection of original art for sale. As art collectors and dealers , we include rare and sought-after artworks by internationally recognised artists such as Gretchen Albrecht, Banksy, Damien Hirst, Ralph Hotere and Andy Warhol. We are committed to supporting New Zealand artists by providing new exhibitions in-house, connecting both local and international art collectors with important works of art, and contributing to Whanganui's unique cultural identity.