WATCH THIS SPACE

WATCH THIS SPACE

He Tohu Artist Benjamin Work and Charles and Janine Williams DateMay 2021 Location Etu Pasifika Health, Tuam Street

When Etu Pasifika Health opened their new clinic in mid-2021, a vibrant mural by renowned Tāmaki Makaurau artists Benjamin Work and Charles and Janine Williams marked the western side of the building, providinga meaningful welcome to visitors. The work combines the distinctive styles of the three artists, suggesting the interconnectedness of Polynesiancultures. From the bottom left of the wall, an amokura (redtailed tropicbird), suggesting beauty and connection (and prized by Māori when found on mainland Aotearoa as a reminder of the ancestral home of Hawaiki), takes flightdrawing us through the directional tāniko pattern of bright blues andwarm yellows, echoing the waters and warm sunsets of the Pacific. A small manulua motif at the top of the wall, an ancient pattern that evokes navigation and voyaging, leads the eye towards Work’s striking chiefly figure atthe front of the building, bisected bythe architecture and interlocked withthe geometry of the black windowframe. The tall, angular figure, drawn from iconography found on Tongan ‘akau tau, serves as a reminder of ancestral lineage and guides visitors tothe clinic entrance.

Explore more of Ōtautahi’s urban art on a Watch This Space guided street art tour! Emailtours@watchthisspace.org.nz for booking information.

watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/986