Neil Dawson b. 1948 is a prominent New Zealand sculptor of international standing. His work emphatically echos aspects of this nation's socio- cultural environments and, literally, elevate these in spatial celebrations that are at once accessible and challenging.

His best known works are large-scale civic pieces crafted from aluminium and stainless steel, often made using a lattice of natural forms which between them form a geometric whole. Dawson attended the University of Canterbury (1966-1969) where he studied under Russ Williams, Tom Taylor and Eric Doudney. He gained a Diploma of Fine Arts and then spent a year at teachers' college. This was followed, with the help of a Queen Elisabeth II Arts Council grant, by a Graduate Diploma in Sculpture from the Victorian College of the Arts, Melbourne, in 1973. On his return, Dawson taught drawing and design at Christchurch Polytechnic from 1975 to 1983.

Dawson's best-known pieces include The Chalice, a large inverted cone in Cathedral Square, Christchurch, and Ferns, a sphere created from metal fern leaves which hangs above Wellington's Civic Square.[4] Major overseas commissions include Globe, for the Pompidou Centre in Paris, and Canopy, for Brisbane's Queensland Art Gallery.[3]

Dawson's smaller works often use illusion and such optical patterns as moiré to achieve their effects. Many of these works are wall-hangings, though stand-alone pieces using such everyday patterned items as the forms of playing cards and willow pattern crockery are also among Dawson's works.

Dawson has worked as a full-time sculptor since the late 1980s. In 2003, he was awarded the Arts Foundation of New Zealand Arts Laureate.

Dr. Michael Dunn, Emeritus Professor at the University of Auckland and a former head of Elam School of Fine Arts, describes Dawson in his book New Zealand Sculpture : A History: Dawson's sculpture is individual, unique and easy to recognise. In fact his sculptures flout convention in their lightness of feel, their transparency and their escape from the conventions of earthbound pedestal- based display.

Dawson's epic sculpture Fanfare was first suspended from the Sydney Harbour Bridge to welcome the 2005 year. The sculpture is made up of 350 reflective pinwheels arranged in a sphere. Sydney's Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, subsequently presented the sculpture to the Christchurch City Council as a gift. After a long time in storage, it was eventually decided to install Fanfare next to State Highway 1 just south of the Waimakariri River Bridge to welcome visitors coming to the city from the north. Fanfare was officially unveiled on 10 June 2015 by mayor Lianne Dalziel and Dawson. Dalziel, with reference to Fanfare's first installation in Sydney and to the destructive Christchurch earthquakes, said at the ceremony: Today feels like it's come home and it's really going to be a big statement about what our city is and what it's going to become.

Dawson was more humble and described his artwork as basically just a ball with some propellers on it.

Sphere, Cone, Cylinder, 1999 is one of the most ambitious of the artist's practice to appear on the secondary market. Each piece is individually painted on the inside - Sphere - blue, Cone - gold, and Cylinder - red. The laser-cut, steel sculpture appears to defy gravity and the weightiness of the medium. It poses ever-shifting perspectives as each co-opts the space and light in and around it, playing visual tricks with shadow, perspective, and volume. The fine detailing is drawn from sources as diverse as porcelain patterns, building materials and flora and fauna.

It has been held in private ownership since 1999.