Public art at Waitakere Central

The Waitakere Civic Centre in Henderson is fortunate to be the home to public art by some of the city's leading practitioners. Find out more about the many works dotted around Waitakere Central, and the rich stories they tell about our environment, our history and our diverse communities.

Transformer, John Edgar

Transformer, John Edgar

Waitakere City Arts Laureate John Edgar describes 'Transformer' variously as a digital totem, an obelisk, a standing stone and a landmark.

The four-sided pillar with a pyramid-shaped apex provides a landmark or visual anchor to the adjoining Japanese garden, drawing people in. It also provides a visual connection when viewing the garden from the rail over-bridge. 'Transformer's' layered stones reflect the layering of the Japanese Garden elements and the concept of rock layering that also inspired the Civic Square design.

John, long fascinated by the geological layering inherent in stone, calls stones "the bones of the land". He says he intended Transformer to "provide a link or intermediary between the human scale and the surrounding built environment... I wanted to come up with something greater than the human scale - but less intimidating than a building."

Transformer, John Edgar

Red Cross, John Edgar

Red Cross, John Edgar

Red Cross, in context, John Edgar

Waitakere City Arts Laureate John Edgar was asked to make a second work after finishing 'Transformer' that worked alongside and complimented the adjacent standing stone.

Always interested in multiple readings, John suggests the pebble might represent a small stone used in counting on an abacus, which was the original meaning of 'calculus'. In this context the sandstone cross might also be a plus sign, a common symbol suggesting addition, or mark a cross roads. Alternately he describes it as a worn-down remnant of another (broken) standing stone, alluding to the passage of time, and how even stone monuments wear away, leaving fragments as the only record of a civilisation.

The pillar and the pebble appear very different things but they're actually the same. Something big, grand and formal will eventually become dust or sand. "We need to understand and acknowledge the past in order to plan for a sustainable future, and my sculpture is a reminder of this."

Waitakere Central Japanese Garden, 2006

Japanese gardens, sign.

This garden is inspired by the traditional viewing gardens that originated in 15th century Japan. It was developed from the original tea garden gifted by Waitakere's Sister City of Kakogawa in Japan and reflects the ongoing partnership between the two cities. Viewing gardens are intended to promote contemplation. In addition to plants, the garden makes artistic use of rocks, ponds and flowing water. These create a scenic composition that mimics nature. The intention is that when you move through a Japanese garden, you listen, feel and live its simplicity and beauty, as well as seeing it. Central to its design was the importance of creating imaginative, interlinked urban public spaces for the community that are also safe and accessible. Places that allow for social interaction and relief from the built up environment of the town centre.

The garden won the silver award in the NZILA Resene Pride of Place Landscape Awards, 2008.

Japanese gardens, Waitakere Central.	Japanese gardens, Waitakere Central.	Japanese gardens, from rail bridge.	Japanese gardens, Waitakere Central.

Catchment, 2006

Catchment, Louise Purvis

Catchment, Louise Purvis

'Catchment', by Waitakere sculptor Louise Purvis, is based on a contour map or aerial view of the Henderson Valley.

A notable feature of this work is the marking of the streams that pass through the area. The Waitakere Ranges being the catchment that feeds these streams, which in turn provide the waters that feed Waitakere City.

Louise translated the two-dimensional contour map of the valley back into a three-dimensional representation of the land. The 16 squares were carved as one and then separated and floated off the wall on galvanised steel frames.

The work has a simplicity that belies the challenges of working with Carrara marble - this strength and simplicity is a Purvis signature. Purvis was commissioned to develop the work as part of the original Waitakere Central building project.

Te Pouihi o Te Waonui a Tiriwa

Te Pouihi o Te Waonui a Tiriwa, John Collins and Sunnah Thompson.

Te Pou o Te Waonui a Tiriwa, close up.

The 10 metre Pou ihi that stands at the entrance to the Waitakere City Council symbolizes the mana of the local Iwi, Te Kawerau a Maki. The timber that was used to carve this Pou ihi is Kauri. The carvers were Te Korakorako Thompson and John Collins, who have erected a number of carvings throughout the Waitakere and Auckland Region.

This Pou ihi has four sides and is three slabs high. The symbols on the front side of the Pouihi represent Te Waonui a Tiriwa, or the great forest of Tiriwa, who is an early ancestor to the Te Kawerau a Maki people. This is an old name for the general West Auckland area. The inscriptions on the front side represent the animals that live in the forest of Waitakere such as the birds, snails and lizards.

On the left side of the Pou ihi you will see twelve whales, which refers to the twelve sperm whales that were stranded several years ago on the west coast between Karekare and Whatipu. For Te Kawerau A Maki this was seen as a significant sign from Tangaroa the god of the sea. There hasn't been a stranding of this size any where in New Zealand since the 1930's.

On the right side of the Pou ihi you will see an intricately carved panel that represents a carved stern post of a war canoe. This signifies Te Kawerau a Maki's alliance with the Tainui peoples. Auckland is often referred to in oratory as being the stern post of the Tainui waka.

On the rear of the Pou ihi are depicted a number of carved posts standing one on top of another. This refers to the Waitakere Ranges, which are known traditionally as 'Nga Rau Pou A Maki' or 'the many posts of Maki', who is an early ancestor of the Auckland Isthmus.

Pouihi, 2006

Pouihi, John Collins and Sunnah Thompson

The internal pouihi represents the traditional ancestors or tipuna of local iwi Te Kawerau a Maki. It links to the external pou, which represents the mana and stories of the iwi. One side of the column is carved with tipuna and the others are reserved for text painted in Maori and English, naming each ancestor and their importance and contribution.

The carvings at ground level represent female tipuna - carver Sunnah Thompson felt it was time to honour the women of the tribe. The top figure, for example, is 'Parekura: He wahine whakatihi Parekura ...known for her expertise in the arts. She was also a powerful tohunga.' However, traditionally women didn't feature on these structural carved pou. The ancestors at ground level face the external pou, also addressing the public and council staff as they enter the building.

The ancestors in the council chamber itself directly face the mayoral table, in both a challenge and a reminder of the council and iwi commitment to work in partnership. The internal pou rises through the interior of the Council Chamber building and, like the external pou, is installed around one of the structural columns. It is grounded at the base of the building, penetrates through its three levels and continues up to the ceiling as if supporting the roof. Traditionally these pou are the columns/poles that structurally support a meeting house.

Brick Lilo, 2006

Brick Lilo, in context, Peter Lange.

'Brick Lilo' recreates the humble lilo, long associated with summer holidays and lazy days at the beach, in a medium apparently incompatible with floating objects.

The inspiration for Peter's recent work draws on childhood experiences and memories of the objects that he feels nostalgic about. "As a child, I would be entertained for hours with a single ceramic shoe, which would also become a racing car, a boat or a plane". (CEAC website)

Peter enjoys challenging people's perceptions of the material, for example enabling bricks to float or creating curves in his brick sculptures.

The work is on long-term loan to Waitakere City Council by the Portage Licensing Trust. The trust bought the work after it won the premier award at the 2006 Portage Ceramic Awards.

Brick Lilo, close up, Peter Lange.		Brick Lilo, close up.

Folau, 2008

Folau, close up, Fatu Feu'u

'Folau' was developed as one of a handful of significant civic commissions from senior artists who have strong links to Waitakere City, to grace the new Waitakere Central building complex.

A Waitakere City Arts Laureate, Feu'u was commissioned as a senior Pacific Island artist to create an artwork to represent and honour the contribution Pacific Island peoples have made to the culture and heritage of Waitakere. He consulted with the major Pacific communities in Waitakere in the conception of the piece.

Two carved timber panels in the form of vaka (waka) sit at either end of a carved, hand-lashed timber frame representing a traditional twig and shell star navigation chart used by Polynesian navigators. This floats over a flat painted form representing the Pacific Ocean that was crossed by various migrating Pacific peoples in their migration here from early times to the present.

Folau, entire work, Fatu Feu'u	Folau, Close up, Fatu Feu'u	Folau, close up, Fatu Feu'u

Pararaha Landscape, 2006

Pararaha Landscape, Dean Buchanan.

Pararaha Landscape, Dean Buchanan.

Karekare artist, Dean Buchanan's wetland landscape at Pararaha was painted specifically for its application onto the plate glass wall at one end of the Waitakere Central Over-bridge. The original painting is also in the Waitakere Central Collection. 'Pararaha Landscape' presents as a stained glass window - its vibrant palette and energetic treatment is typical of Dean's style.

The work was inspired by his lush, sub-tropical surroundings and profound love for native New Zealand.

The work is located about 10 metres off the ground so viewed from the bridge presents as the whole floor to ceiling end wall and from the street below floats above the retail streetscape. It's the untamed Waitakere bush and beach bought into the urban environment.

Going West / The Titirangi years, 2007

Going West / The Titirangi years, Douglas Ford.

Doug Ford's mural is a portrayal of three significant writers Maurice Shadbolt, Maurice Gee and Dick Scott (a Waitakere Art Laureate) who had a strong association/connection with Waitakere and wrote of/from this location at a significant period of NZ literary history. It brings the viewer 'to the table' for a passionate and animated conversation about the spirit and merits of the West, while also trying to convey something of the flavour of the creative Titirangi scene of mid to late 20th century.

The story of Henry Swan, who inspired Shadbolt's novel 'Dove on the Water', is central to the spirit of this painting. It invokes a 'going west' philosophy - with aspirations about independence, the questioning of accepted wisdom, self-sufficiency, escaping 'colonial' class systems, and the 'new-consciousness' (particularly of the 1950-70's).

Going West / The Titirangi years, detail, left hand side, Douglas Ford.	Going West / The Titirangi years, detail, centre, Douglas Ford.	Going West / The Titirangi years, detail, right hand side, Douglas Ford.	Going West / The Titirangi years, context from train station platform Douglas Ford.

Child Jesus in the Temple: a community parable for the City of Waitakere, 2007

Child Jesus in the Temple: a community parable for the City of Waitakere, detail, Allie Eagle.

Te Henga artist Allie Eagle was commissioned to research and create a large heritage painting to chart and celebrate the histories of the many European immigrant cultures that have made the Waitakere region their home since the 1880s. It tells the ordinary and not so ordinary stories of the timber millers, gum diggers, farmers, orchardists, wine makers, merchants and manufacturers who left what they knew to make new lives in the West - reinterpreted in the style of the old masters.

In order to produce a picture on such a large scale Eagle recruited and managed an atelier, or team of assistant artists, over 13 months of exhaustive research, interviews, preparatory sketching, photography and painting. Allie considers not only the need for compassionate local governance but also for all generations to come together and learn from the past.

Child Jesus in the Temple: a community parable for the City of Waitakere, detail, Allie Eagle.	Child Jesus in the Temple: a community parable for the City of Waitakere, detail, Allie Eagle.	Child Jesus in the Temple: a community parable for the City of Waitakere, detail, Allie Eagle.	Child Jesus in the Temple: a community parable for the City of Waitakere, detail, Allie Eagle.

Twisted flax pods, 2007

Twisted flax pods, Ann Robinson.

Conceived on a large scale, Waitakere City Arts Laureate Ann Robinson's glass sculptures depict native flax pods - harakeke - about to burst and release their seeds, as observed from her home. They're part of an ongoing, and constantly evolving, series of work revelling in natural form.

Ann is drawn to full fruiting forms. In this instance she was attracted to the seed pods because of the promise they held - the hope of an abundant future.

The pod forms are produced using the lost wax method of art glass casting which Ann has been instrumental in reintroducing back into the art world over the last 25 years. The work was purchased as one of a handful of significant civic commissions from senior artists that have strong links to Waitakere City, to grace the Waitakere Central building complex.

Tribute to Lucy Cranwell, 2006

Tribute to Lucy Cranwell, Tabatha Forbes.

'Tribute to Lucy Cranwell' was derived from a show by the same name at Corban Estate Arts Centre in 2003. It is based on a series of botanical illustrations by Tabatha, drawing on specimens collected and documented by Waitakere-born botanist Dr Lucy Cranwell Smith during the early to mid part of the 20th century. All the plants were found in Waitakere City and along the west coast of the Waitakere Ranges.

This project was driven by a functional brief to provide privacy for some areas within the Customer Services area at Waitakere Central. But just as importantly, to create a public face that represents Waitakere City Council's commitment to our environment and to honouring those early residents who played an important role in our understanding of it.

Tribute to Lucy Cranwell, Tabatha Forbes.		Tribute to Lucy Cranwell, Tabatha Forbes.

The Kauri Modules, 2006

The Kauri Modules, Adam Ellis.

'The Kauri Modules' were developed for Waitakere City Council as part of an extensive street upgrade in Henderson CBD. The once extensive Kauri forest of the region provided the inspiration for the works. Kauri shed their bark in large flakes as they grow and clean themselves of lichens and other growth. The fallen flakes of bark, so unique to the Kauri forest, provided the stimulus to create these sculptures.

The modules are metaphorical flakes of bark and can be stacked together like brickwork, allowing for infinitely variable configurations. They can function as seating, lighting, way finding markers, as well as pure contemplative sculptural objects.

Industrial designer by nurture and plantsman by nature, Adam wanted to bring the biological history of the region into what has become a very urban environment, while also providing functional, highly durable street objects.

The Kauri Modules, Adam Ellis.	The Kauri Modules, Adam Ellis.	The Kauri Modules, Adam Ellis.	The Kauri Modules, Adam Ellis.	The Kauri Modules, Adam Ellis.