Arrival of an Important Person

Michael Francis Cartwright

1999

bronze, unique cast

99 x 20 x 50 cm

When Cartwright taught briefly in the Port Moresby University in Papua New Guinea in 1991, he saw in a museum, a painting by a local artist depicting Prince Charles arriving by plane into Port Moresby. It was titled, ‘Arrival of an Important Person’. He was enamoured with the whole concept of someone arriving and being important, being given consequence, but without name. The title signified acknowledgement of all the great people arriving throughout history on their own great journeys. The simple elegant cross like forms of this sculpture seem to have a reference to Christian stories of Jesus arriving on his fishing boat, however Cartwright’s own interpretation is that anyone who arrives at your door, is important.