Nicolas Lupacchino said his latest creation, a steel sculpture depicting a kiwi attempting to take flight via helium balloons, had inspired him to share photos of his work on popular forum site Reddit.
It was not long before he was contacted by Ninja Kiwi, a video game developer based in Auckland, who had instantly fallen in love with the concept.
"It’s pretty funny, because their logo is a kiwi and they make a game with balloons.
"It seemed like it was almost made for them."
Shortly after agreeing to sell the sculpture to Ninja Kiwi, Lupacchino said he was contacted by TVNZ’s Breakfast, who wanted to feature him in a segment on Tuesday morning.
"It was my first time on live TV. I was pretty nervous," he told the Wānaka Sun shortly after recording the segment.
With the help of some friends, Lupacchino had temporarily relocated the sculpture to the Wānaka lakefront for its television debut. It did not take long for passers-by to take notice.
More than a dozen people stopped to take photos of the sculpture, some referencing its appearance on television only minutes earlier.
Lupacchino is an artist in residence at Metalworks Wānaka in Ballantyne Rd, but also creates sculptures in his spare time.
He said he had been working in welding and fabrication since he was 20, and began making sculptures about four years ago.
"I do mostly wildlife animals, and this piece was my first time incorporating something a bit surreal with the balloons."
He hoped the visual of a flying kiwi would equally inspire and entertain those who saw it.
"I think this piece is about embarking on new adventures and chasing dreams."
Aside from Reddit, Lupacchino’s work can also be viewed at Metalworks Wānaka, as well as on his website and Instagram page.
