Art in the Heart of the City

 Here in Auckland we have a vibrant and growing collection of public art.  On our tours we walk past several artworks which tell stories of our people and place, in colourful, sculptural and sometimes quirky ways! Here are a few of our downtown favourites, all within just a few hundred metres of our starting point at the Ferry Terminal.

Māori Chief
Molly McAllister
Quay St, opposite the Ferry Building

 This chief looks out towards the Waitematā harbour with a calm, wise presence. The creator of this statue had to fight hard to have her concept accepted when it was commissioned in 1965.  Many people wanted a different image of a Māori chief – one that was more in keeping with the stereotype of a warrior in mid-haka (war dance).  But this dignified pose represents a broader view of those who lived here before European settlers arrived.  Perhaps he is contemplating the many changes in the city around him: past, present, and future.

Pacific Journey
Charles Williams Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngapuhi
Janine Williams Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara
Western end of Tyler St

 We use this mural to tell the tale of those first amazing Pacific sailors who navigated their waka (sailing vessels) here to Aotearoa using weather patterns, the paths of birds and whales, and the swells of the ocean to guide them.  They brought an intimate knowledge of the Pacific with them and then had to adapt to life in a Southern land which had many differences from home.  This may be temporary street art, in place while construction around the Britomart railway station is progressing, but we’re enjoying its bright colours while it lasts!

Pou Tū te Rangi
Chris Bailey Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Paoa Te Aupouri, Irish
Opposite Ortolana restaurant, Britomart Square

We love the symbolism of this group of seven pou (posts).  It can be read as family members standing together as one – each an individual but all clearly related.  This contemporary carving also reflects Chris Bailey’s dual Māori/Irish ancestry.  While the stylised faces and textured wood draw on traditional Māori carving techniques, you can see the names of his relatives, such as Adam, Kylie and Ryan, stamped into each of the figures.  The rope lashings at the base of each pou remind us of the superb ropework which enabled the first waka to sail here from across Moana-nui-a-Kiwa (the Pacific Ocean). 

If These Walls Could Talk
Benjamin Work
Fort Lane, opposite Everybody’s gastro bar

Another artist who celebrates his Pacific and European heritage is Benjamin Work, whose mural draws on the symmetry and strong colour of Tongan design, while using contemporary street art techniques.  It reminds us that Auckland has the biggest Polynesian population of any city in the world, of which the Tongan community is a large part.  The title of this work refers to the hidden history of Fort Lane in days gone by…join our tour to find out about it!

Heart of the City
Sara Hughes
Southern end of Fort Lane

Here’s another street painting in Fort Lane which reminds us of the history of love in downtown Auckland.  Its angular shapes refers to the many Art Deco and heritage buildings around the area.  Leading contemporary artist Sara Hughes describes this artwork as positive and life-affirming, and we love the burst of energy that it gives this part of the city.  You can see another of her colourful works, Heat Haze, on glass walls in Britomart Place.    

Pipi Beds
Chaz Doherty Ngai Tuhoe
Takutai Square

Fountains are always fun for kids and adults alike, especially on a hot day.  In this artwork, a combination of popping jets of water and carved volcanic rock speaks about a history of place long before people arrived, when there were beds of pipi all around this part of the Waitematā harbour.  The water jets mimic the squirting of the shellfish when they are collected, and there are small brass casts of their shells to be found on the now-tiled ground.

Scout
Tim Gruchy
Takutai Square, Britomart

This seemingly simple monolith is one of the most magical artworks in the city – you will never experience it the same way twice.  Its digital face changes constantly thanks to input from an array of sensors which monitor sound, light, movement and temperature around the artwork.  So in a busy place like Takutai Square it has plenty of stimulation to react to, and its patterns and sounds are different on every visit.  It reminds us of a pou (Māori post marking a significant site) standing like a guardian in the square, and like the city, it is constantly adapting and changing to our comings and goings.

Written by one of our guides, Lucy Moore.