In memory of Zac Lerner (2003-24) who died peacefully in his sleep at College on 16 March 2024, his family has donated to the College a new major work of outdoor contemporary art by David McCracken, a sculptor based in Auckland. According to McCracken Carlyle and Kurzweil, chasing chasing was a slightly flippant choice of name initially, but turned out to be particularly appropriate. This is his fourth work in a series of circular works, hand-made in steel employing symmetry and “a slightly baroque machine aesthetic” (McCracken), giving a nod to the life Zac led—from Tennis Convener to musician to Paul’s Formal committee to his afro.

The Lerner family has a close association with St Paul’s that began with the commencement of Zac’s eldest brother, Jacob, in 2018. He was followed by brother Ben in 2020 then Zac joined as a fresher in 2022 though his life and time at College were tragically cut short. For Zac’s story CLICK HERE.

The sculpture was unveiled at a ceremony attended by Zac’s family, friends and mates at which it received a Karakia, a Māori blessing, from Paul Samuels, a family friend from NZ.  Entirely handmade, manually cut and welded, it employs no high-tech design or manufacturing. Jacob shared: “McCracken was listening to audiobooks by both authors as he worked on this piece and after hours and days of repetitive welding and grinding it felt like the spirits of the two men were chasing each other around inside his head. Thomas Carlyle, the fulminating reactionary, thundering against progress, and Ray Kurzweil, the hesitant tech-guru sage with his dreams of a techno-optimist future. Only later did Carlyle, who was also a mathematician, do the work in geometry which led to him discovering the so-called Carlyle circle. McCracken went on to find that Ray Kurzweil had written a book entitled The Age of Spiritual Machines.”

The work is impressive and is carefully positioned in the grounds so it is captivating from every angle and frames views of the College, plus those Paulines and visitors who will be passing it every day. 

The College acknowledges the generosity of the Lerner family for such an exciting gift that honours a Pauline whose loss is deeply felt.