Futuna: The Life of a Building by Gregory O’Brien & Nick Bevin, published by VUP $50.00
Launched Tuesday 2nd August 2016
AFTERGLOW report by Karen McLeod
Following an introduction by Unity’s Jacqui Brokenshaw, VUP publisher Fergus Barrowman spoke briefly of his joy at again being involved in the production of a book about Karori’s Futuna chapel. Like the first book, Russell Walden’s long out of print “Voices of Silence”, the luscious volume produced by Gregory O’Brien and Nick Bevin documents and celebrates a significant cultural site requiring preservation.
On behalf of the authors, Nick Bevin thanked a variety of supporters – advocates, designers, photographers and archivists as well as Gladstone Winery and the sponsors of the Friends of Futuna, who enabled both the restoration of the chapel and the research and production of the book.
The Hon Chris Finlayson, a founding member of the Friends of Futuna trust recalled his childhood retreat at Futuna (which he hated), but also of his sadness when the chapel was closed and became run down. He was heartened to hear from the Wellington City Council when they contacted him to see if something could be done, and together with David Kernohan and various others, the trust was formed to restore and “preserve this jewel for Wellington”. After also plugging Mary Beard’s SPQR and Simon Sebag Montefiore’s The Romanovs and some kind words about Unity Books, Finlayson congratulated O’Brien and Bevin on their achievement and officially launched the book.
Jacob Scott, son of Futuna’s architect, John Scott, spoke movingly and amusingly about the path from the chapel’s original construction to its rehabilitation after years of neglect. He said it was really nice to see the building being used like a wharenui, and that people felt it was “their place”. He also spoke of the dust-up between him and the property developer of Futuna Close, who saw the chapel as “a lemon he couldn’t use”, and set his workers to obstruct the taking of photos which would prove the extent of the dereliction. It was this “ding-dong round” which prompted Jacob Scott to offer a one dollar deposit to buy the chapel – thankfully bailed out by a phone call days later from the nascent trust. After a brief mihi, the flurry of sales began, with many convivial catch-ups as the authors signed copies for the crowd.
photographs © Matt Bialostocki
Futuna is available in store and from our online shop HERE
