The Head of John Doe by Sean Crawford

The Head of John Doe comprises two elements:

• A doe fabricated from male huia icons.
• The trophy head of a buck, fabricated from female huia icons, and mounted on a free-standing wall.  

The huia are laser-cut from Corten steel, and the free-standing wall is also made from Corten steel.

The title of the sculpture, The Head of John Doe, references the deceased or victim as "John Doe"; the trophy head symbolises concepts of victory (conquest) over the natural world.

There is a direct line of sight from the raised head of the doe to the eyes of the mounted buck, suggesting an almost "Romeo and Juliet" relationship.

Artist, Sean Crawford, likes to juxtapose in his work the forms of introduced species with indigenous flora or fauna, reflecting the impact of human contact with the natural world.

Source: The Head of John Doe - Palmerston North Public Sculpture Trust