Peter Roche (1957 – July 2020) was a New Zealand sculptor. He was born in 1957 and studied at

Elam School of Fine Arts The Elam School of Fine Arts, founded by John Edward Elam, is part of the University of Auckland Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries, Faculty of Creative Arts and Industries at the University of Auckland. It offered the first Bachelor of ...

, University of Auckland. His primary focus area is on light-based sculptural installations, though he first made his mark in performance art. In 1995, he bought the 1920s former Ambassador Theatre in

Point Chevalier Point Chevalier (; commonly known as Point Chev and originally named Point Bunbury after Thomas Bunbury) is a residential suburb and peninsula in the city of Auckland in the north of New Zealand. It is located five kilometres to the west of t ...

, and used the space to build his artwork. Roche died in July 2020 of lung cancer. Perhaps his best-known works are large-scale pieces like ''Coral'', adorning the

Vero Centre The Vero Centre (constructed as the Royal & SunAlliance Centre) is a skyscraper office tower in Auckland, New Zealand. Constructed in 2000 and designed by architect Peddle Thorp, after its construction it became the tallest building in New Zeala ...

building in downtown

Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...

, and ''Saddleblaze'', installed at Gibbs Farm.

References

1957 births 2020 deaths 20th-century New Zealand sculptors 20th-century New Zealand male artists 21st-century New Zealand sculptors 21st-century New Zealand male artists Elam Art School alumni {{NewZealand-artist-stub