Wētā Workshop, a creative services company combining artistry and innovation, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the opening of Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa).
The immersive exhibition, which opened on 18 April 2015, charts an eight-month World War I campaign. In the first year, it welcomed over 700,000 visitors through its space in Wellington, exceeding all records for the national museum. A decade later, it has now been seen by more than 4.8 million people.
Created by Wētā Workshop in partnership with the curators at Te Papa, the exhibition commemorates the centenary of New Zealand’s involvement in the First World War, during which 2,779 Kiwi lives were lost. At its core lies the poignant tale of eight everyday New Zealanders who encountered extraordinary situations. They form the exhibition’s emotional heart as eight figures intricately crafted at 2.4 times the size of a human being.
Creating an emotional connection
Wētā Workshop’s artists and technicians photographed and digitally scanned live models to produce these impressive sculptures. Following this, over 20,000 hours were dedicated to carefully refining every detail – thousands of individual hairs were meticulously hand-punched, and every pore was represented.
“We were lucky to work with performers chosen for both a physical likeness to the person and their ability to convey the emotional state of the character,” says Wētā Workshop art director Jane Wenley, who helped sculpt them.
“Having a range of great references, such as high-quality photos and life casts of faces and hands, helped the sculptors see where tiny details like pores would compress and stretch. This intense focus added an extra dimension of realism and emotion.”
Each figure tells a compelling personal story, such as nurse Lottie Le Gallais, who lost her brother Owen at the Battle of the Somme; Private Jack Dunn, who trained as a machine-gunner, becoming a vital defence for front-line troops against infantry assaults; and Corporal Friday Hawkins, who served in the Māori Contingent.
Together, they enhance our comprehension of a pivotal historical moment and the human cost of war through one of our most essential emotions: empathy. This curatorial theme weaves through the exhibition as guests navigate six labyrinthine chambers, each accompanied by a poignant soundscape performed by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
The sounds of gunfire, soldiers’ shouts, and firsthand accounts echo endlessly. Detailed scale models, photographs, videos, and 3D digital maps illustrating various battles are displayed alongside weapons and handwritten letters.
A foundational project
From the outset, this exhibition establishes a profound emotional bond with visitors, going beyond the display of information and artefacts. Its distinctive storytelling method has helped the exhibition to make a lasting impact on guests.
A foundational project for Wētā Workshop’s Immersive Experiences team, Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War is Te Papa’s most successful exhibition. It has been so popular that the exhibition has been extended three times since its launch and will now remain open until April 2032.
At the exhibition’s conclusion, guests can pen a message on a paper poppy and place it at the feet of Gallipoli veteran Cecil Malthus, who trudges through a muddy shell crater, burdened by his soldier’s gear and gazing forward to the next three years on the Western Front. The pit, coloured red by two million commemorative poppies deposited by visitors since its opening, never stops filling.
“The success of Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War has been more than we could ever have imagined and we want to offer that experience for as long as we possibly can,” says Te Papa Tumu Whakarae | chief executive Courtney Johnston.
Richard Taylor, co-founder, co-CEO and chief creative officer of Wētā Workshop, was involved with the exhibition since its inception. He says:
“The extension of Gallipoli: The Scale of Our War at Te Papa is the worthy acknowledgment of the ongoing sense of connection that New Zealanders feel towards this important moment in our country’s history.
“It is an opportunity to recognise the sacrifices from the men and women who served, and of which many lost their lives. It is also further opportunity to share this unique and critical moment in New Zealand history with visitors from overseas who come through the front doors of Te Papa. We are very proud that the exhibition has reached its tenth anniversary and will retain its place in the halls of our national museum.
“Our huge thanks to the Te Papa Board and management for seeing that this experience remains as a reminder for us all.”
Wētā Workshop also partnered with Te Papa on Bug Lab, which is now touring North America.
Earlier this year, Wētā Workshop shared insights into how it is a great place to work for people interested in showcasing their talents across location-based experiences.
