Shot Alive

In Tirau, a town in the central North Island of New Zealand, they have had the original idea to have a theme of corrugated iron signs and sculptures through the whole town. Many shops and businesses have joined in and made the town into a sort of art gallery.

Of course this is quite well known so that there are a number of websites about it. I think mine is one of the more complete collections, but looking at these others I have missed some. Hopefully you will enjoy these as much as I did.

Perhaps these came about as a result of Jeff Thompson's famous corrugated iron car which is actually roadworthy and has been exhibited in NZ's Te Papa museum. See more of Jeff's creations and his recent ones which include a giant gumboot in Taihape.

I think that these flowers atop a cafe are the prize sculpture in Tirau, but there are many other fine pieces. My wife had a coffee here while I ran round town and photographed the other works of art.

The sheep above and the sheep dog below are actually large buildings in the shape of the animals, important ones for New Zealand and the region. To the left of the sheep dog is a hitch-hiker, also made out of corrugated iron and looking a little like Jesus.

The "Dressing Room" has a very attractive sign with a very fashionable looking lady on each end. I used a cut out of one of these for the title.

A well proportioned and realistic praying mantis sits atop the horticulture and hydroponic supplies above while a mouse looks interested in the grapes and cheese at the merchants store below.

The pukeko sits on a store front dangling his feet over the side. The pukeko is a NZ native bird about the size of a hen that likes swamps although in recent years seems to have learned how to browse motorway edges without running in front of cars so often. They can fly, but reluctantly, and prefer to peck a cat between the eyes than running fast enough to take off. Of course cows are not native to NZ but are as populous as people here and an important part of the economy. We call milk bars by the name "dairy" reflecting this part of NZ culture.

Keeping with the creatures, the "Teddy Bear Maker" above and a weird bee eating an ice cream below. OK, I just take the photographs and cannot explain them.

The giraffes above and elephant, tiger and chimpanzee are on a building labelled "On Safari" which seems to sell art items from around the world. Somewhere along the way they picked up a couple of half-cars also (perhaps they came as a matched set).

Continuing with the theme of cars and humour there is Tirau Motors above and "Top of the Hill Mechanical" below which also picks up another ice cream place. There seem to be lots of them here.

As well as animals and ice creams, flowers are a popular theme. We already saw the wonderful ones at the top of the page, and here some daisies and such above and below.

Antiques with a teapot and quilts with a heart.

Some corrugated iron signs without pictures above and the Clock Peddlar has a nice sign albeit without any corrugations.