World Art Utopia

Solace in the Wind

Black-and-white photo of Max Patté's Solace in the Wind on Wellington's waterfront: a nude figure leaning forward with chin raised, yachts in the marina behind.
Artwork FileWellington, New Zealand

Solace in the Wind

ReportedApr 2026

Max Patté · 2008 · Wellington

Photo: Rosino / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0), 27 March 2010. Resized.

Solace in the Wind is Max Patté's two-metre cast-iron statue of a naked man leaning out over Wellington Harbour with his arms flung back, on the waterfront outside Te Papa. Patté made it while he was head of sculpture at Weta Workshop, paid for it himself, and lent it to the city in February 2008. The city bought it within months, and The Spinoff calls it one of Wellington's most recognisable attractions. Source Source Source Source Reported

Reported Apr 2026 — evidence dated 2026-04-09. Still there (Apr 2026). Source Reported

💡 4 things to know

  1. Self-funded loanScoop's 2018 release says Patté paid for all the materials himself and the council first allowed only a 12-month installation. Source Reported
  2. Iron in his eyesAccording to the same release, three days before the unveiling Patté had 24 iron particles picked from his eyes after angle-grinding. Source Reported
  3. Vandalised in its first daysTe Aro's local news says the statue was vandalised days after it was installed, removed, repaired and put back. Source Reported
  4. Dressed by the cityTe Aro's local news says Wellingtonians dress it up; in 2019 it wore a raincoat with messages for the Hong Kong protests. Source Reported

📍 Where it is

Waterfront outside Te Papa, Cable Street, Te Aro, Wellington, New Zealand. Source Reported

Open in Maps

🗓️ Sightings

  1. 201027 Mar

    Solace in the Wind on the waterfront

  2. 20102 Oct

    Waterfront view with the statue

  3. 201319 Dec

    The statue at the harbour edge

  4. 201615 Apr

    Leaning into the wind

  5. 201812 Jan

    Ten years on the waterfront · Scoop

  6. 202226 Feb

    Profile of the man behind the statue · The Spinoff

  7. 20269 Apr

    Story of the statue; 'still he stands' · Te Aro

Green stamps mark dated photographs; amber stamps mark records or reports; red stamps mark loss. Publication dates are not camera dates.

🗞️ In the sources

The Spinoff26 February 2022

The man behind the old man

“Installed in 2008, Solace in the Wind – the old man’s official name – has become one of the city’s most recognisable attractions.”

Read the source →

Scoop12 January 2018

Iconic Sculpture Celebrates a Decade on Wgtn’s Waterfront

“Solace in the Wind was originally installed as a temporary loan to the city but was purchased by the city council”

Read the source →

✅ The facts

Artist
Max Patté Source Checked
Unveiled
13 February 2008 Source Reported
Material
Cast iron (artist); a 2026 local article says bronze Source Source Conflicting
Height
About two metres Source Reported
Bought by
City council (artist, Scoop); 'Wellington Waterfront' (Te Aro) Source Source Source Conflicting
Price
$60,000, per Wikipedia Source Unconfirmed
Award
People's Choice, Wellington Civic Trust Awards Source Checked
Made at
Weta Workshop studios Source Checked

🔗 Related

All sources & image credits

Last checked: 29 October 2026. How we verify art