The Story Behind The Suter’s Gnome
/If you have ever walked past The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū and done a double take, you are not alone.
Just outside the entrance stands a small, rust-coloured gnome. It has stout boots, a pointed hat, and one hand raised to its mouth, as if caught mid-thought. It is not smiling. It is thinking. The sculpture is Ridiculous Sublime (Iron Thinker) (2018), better known as “The Gnome”, by Gregor Kregar.
At first glance, it is easy to read the work as humorous. Gnomes usually belong to the world of garden ornaments and novelty. But this one holds your attention a little longer. Cast in iron and shaped by the weather, it has a weight and presence that feels more serious than expected. Its pose references The Thinker, but instead of certainty, this figure seems unsure. The hand to the mouth suggests hesitation, or quiet reflection.
Gnomes were not always decorative. In European folklore, they were believed to live underground and guard minerals and metals. The word itself is linked to knowledge. That history adds another layer to the work. It is playful, but it also prompts a second look at what we consider serious or important.
Kregar often works this way, using familiar forms to shift how we see things.
Gnomes have a complex history that reaches far beyond Disney cartoons; originating in medieval Europe, Gnomes were closely associated with the science of alchemy and were the guardians of minerals and metals - Gregor Kregar.
There are two other versions of this sculpture: a bronze gnome at Gibbs Farm and a stainless steel one at Brick Bay Sculpture Trail.
The gnome does not announce itself. It stands at the entrance, watching people arrive and leave.
Children tend to notice it first. Others spot it on their way out.
Up close, the iron surface has softened into warm tones, giving it a sense of age and permanence. It feels settled in its place.
Next time you visit The Suter, take a moment to look down before you head inside.
It is a small sculpture, but it makes a memorable first impression.
About the artist
Gregor Kregar was born in Slovenia where he studied fine arts before moving to New Zealand to complete a masters degree in Auckland. Kregar has exhibited widely in NZ and internationally and his work has won several awards. He is known primarily for his sculptural works using materials such as glass, stainless steel, wood, plastic and stoneware, and often accompanies his sculptures with light installations, soundtracks, photography and video.
