Public art

Waterfront sculpture trail

Seven works of art pass through one of Auckland's historic quarters and compliment the views along the Waitemata Harbour foreshore.

Each work represents one of the myriad of forms, themes and styles of work that have characterised New Zealand's art scene over past decades.

Map

Map of the waterfront sculpture walk.

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1 - Britomart Art Works, Michael Parekowhai

Location: Britomart
Date: 2004, stainless steel, light boxes, photographs, native trees

The art work in the Britomart transport centre is often overlooked. This is part of the intention of architect Mario Madayag and artist Michael Parekowhai.

Parekowhai created a forest of stainless steel trees with truncated, sawn-off limbs surrounded by a garden of real plants. His is a monument to nature lost in the name of progress. This idea is further reflected in the 18 kauri trees planted in Queen Elizabeth II Square, the street space of the Britomart terminal. These living trees provide a counterpoint to the stainless steel trees in the glasshouse space of Mario Madayag's Britomart.

2 - Te Ahi Kaa Roa, Ngati Whatua

Te Ahi Kaa Roa, Ngati Whatua. Location: Queen Elizabeth II Square
Date: 2004, local basalt rock

The sculpture Te Ahi Kaa Roa represents continued tribal occupation, possession and guardianship of lands, waterways and taonga by Ngati Whatua ki Tamaki. Ngati Whatua have been the customary owners of the Tamaki Makau Rau (Auckland) Isthmus for several centuries. They established Auckland City by inviting Governor Hobson to share the land with them in 1840 gifting over 16,000 acres for this purpose.

3 - Maori Warrior, Molly Macalister

Maori Warrior, Molly Macalister Location: Quay Street
Date: 1967, bronze

Molly Macalister's statue was commissioned by Auckland City in 1964 and completed in 1967. The 3m-tall figure is enveloped in an artistic interpretation of a traditional Maori cloak. The warrior looks to the horizon holding a mere, a symbol of peace, in his right hand. It was intended that the welcoming figure would seem to greet visitors and new settlers who, at that time, arrived on passenger liners that docked at the wharves in downtown Auckland.

4 - Flight Trainer for Albatross, Greer Twiss

Flight Trainer for Albatross, Greer Twiss. Location: Quay Street
Date: 2004, stainless steel
Sponsor: Auckland City Sculpture Trust

This was the first work commissioned by the Auckland City Sculpture Trust and it carries a message of global significance. It is informed by conservation issues, particularly the protection of our marine environment and birdlife. Every year, untold numbers of birds are killed or maimed through trawling and netting at sea. Many birds not killed outright sustain damage to their wings which cripples them or kills them indirectly by preventing them from searching for food.

5. Fire Window, Eric Orr

Fire Window, Eric Orr. Location: Viaduct Harbour
Date: 1996, cast iron, fire, water, granite

Fire Window was the first sculpture to be installed at the Viaduct Harbour as part of an outdoor public art programme to enhance the area. It is the only piece on this sculpture trail not created by a New Zealand artist. Celebrated American artist Eric Orr (1939 -1998) uses fire and water in his sculptures. Through these mediums he comments on the power of nature and the force it retains even when humankind has bulldozered through it to create urban environments. This is the theme behind Fire Window.

6. Cytoplasm, Phil Price

Cytoplasm, Phil Price. Location: Waitemata Plaza
Date: 2003, epoxy and glass, composite skin with foam core
Sponsor: Auckland City Sculpture Trust

Phil Price's kinetic work is one of the most popular on the Viaduct walkway. It comprises 16 pod-like discs that move both individually and collectively in the wind. No two views of the work are the same, and herein lies much of Cytoplasm's attraction.

This work is a perfect embodiment of art and science. Price honed his skills working with motorcycle designer John Britten in the 1980s. He became interested in exploring how modern materials such as the high performance plastics developed by NASA could be used in art. Cytoplasm is one of a suite of works using similar materials to create moving sculptures that have won awards both in New Zealand and overseas. There is a scientific basis to the theme of the work as well as in its materials. Cytoplasm is the jelly-like material that fills cells and carries out life's processes. It is constantly moving and flowing.

Price describes his work as playing with ideas and forms. For him, art is an ongoing exploration that is never fixed. He is interested in the range of associations that viewers bring to his work. Cytoplasm has been described as a cactus, a sea plant, a windmill, a science fiction creature, and a futuristic tree. In a sense it is all of these. The artist is interested in the viewer's personal response to these strange waving forms.

7. Raupo Rap, Denis O'Connor

Raupo Rap, Denis O'Connor. Location: Viaduct Harbour
Date: 2005, red granite, whitegranite, stainless steel
Sponsor: Auckland City Sculpture Trust

Raupo Rap takes the form of a giant hook elevated on pillars. The hook references the tool traditionally used by waterside workers to load and unload ships - it is a symbol of work at the dockyards. But there are many layers of meaning in this work. The sweeping curve of the hook circles and enfolds in a gesture that suggests welcome and protection. The hook can also be interpreted as a fish hook. If the association with fishing is extended, the dockyard hook then becomes a fishing hook of men plying a trade to feed their families. Taking it further, "to be hooked" is to be captivated or trapped.

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All text supplied by Dr Robin Woodward, Senior Lecturer, Department of Art History, University of Auckland

Reviewed May 2010