A recent issue of the Australian Sculptors Society Bulletin reports:

In 1962 Hal Holman flew to Port Moresby for what was intended as a brief visit to see his sister, Lexy. Instead he joined the Department of Information and Extension Services as senior illustrator. Among his colleagues was a young journalist named Michael Somare, who later became PNG’s first Prime Minister.

Hal was called upon to train Papua New Guineans direct from village level, as art room staff. His job also required that he design publications with illustrations of PNG subjects for education and conservation of wildlife, such as birdwing butterflies, birds of paradise and endangered reef fish and coral. At that time he designed the PNG National crest and was largely instrumental in the design of their flag.

Since then many commissions have come from PNG such as a large bronze bust of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and bronze busts of the six prime ministers of PNG since Independence. In addition Hal created an eight metre high stainless steel Bird of Paradise adjacent to Parliament House on a highway roundabout in Port Moresby. There are many other sculptures in the Botanical Gardens and the University.

Sculptures of Sir Michael Somare and the young Queen Elizabeth II [Photos by Hal Holman]