Unexpected Welcome

Over the next few months at Wellington Airport, a giant 13m Gollum diving for 4m fish, will welcome visitors to ‘the middle of Middle Earth’. Designed by Weta Workshop, and built by Japanese artist Masayuki Ohashi out of polystyrene and epoxy resin using chainsaws and robotics, the sculpture has been installed at the airport to celebrate the arrival in cinemas next month of Peter Jackson’s first Hobbit film, An Unexpected Journey. “Wellington airport feels like the home of Gollum after spending so many months here during the last three films,” Weta co-founder and creative director Richard Taylor said. Also cashing in on the film is Air New Zealand who have unveiled a new Hobbit-themed in-flight briefing video. The first film, starring British actor Martin Freeman as Bilbo, will be released on 14 December in the UK and US.