Hamilton Public Art

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HAMILTON PUBLIC ART A guide to sculpture, murals, carvings and installations


Hamilton Public Art Catalogue 2014: A research voucher collaboration between Hamilton City Council and Wintec. Writer/Researcher: Amanda Watson, Senior Research Assistant, Wintec Designer: Simon Nicholls, Wintec Editor: Carl Watkins Photography: Claire Goldsworthy, Mark Hamilton Essay by: Edward Hanfling, Lecturer in Theory, Visual Arts, Wintec Thanks to: Rebecca Ericksen, Nick Johnston, Gordon Chesterman, Tame Pokaia, the Wintec team and the board of Foster Construction Limited.


INTRODUCTION Public art plays an important role in the development of a city. It gives expression and energy to places in distinctive ways, and it has the power to transform a place of functionality to one that inspires and challenges the observer.

In the last three years the city has both acquired and been gifted significant works, examples include Dion Hitchen’s Te Ohomauri o Matariki in Rototuna and Lonnie Hutchinson’s Te Waharoa ki te Ao Maarama at the Hamilton Lake.

This catalogue represents Hamilton City Council’s commitment to promoting public art in Hamilton city through the Arts Agenda and the Public Art Plan. It is the product of collaboration between the Council and a number of key partners in the philanthropic, business and education sectors to bring the work of gifted local and national artists to the public consciousness.

It is great to see these recent gifts to the city build on the collection, which started in the 1960s and 70s with the commissioning of Little Bull, and the installation of the Ralph Hotere mural. Although some were seen as a bit edgy and controversial at the time, it is amazing to see how a city comes to love and value our artworks.

I would especially like to acknowledge our wonderful partnership with Wintec on this important project and the very generous sponsorship of Foster Construction Limited. Thank you for making this happen. While the catalogue does not include all of the public art in the city, the 39 pieces selected are a unique representation. Collectively, they are an expression of our artistic identity and the story of our city. As Hamilton celebrates 150 years in 2014, this catalogue marks an important milestone, as a measure of our artistic and civic maturity. Hamilton is now home to pieces that are significant to New Zealand’s historic and contemporary public art narrative, while at the same time, embracing the work of emerging local artists who are pushing the boundaries of their chosen fields. Hamilton city is a living, breathing, gallery for public art. I am delighted that this catalogue curates Hamilton’s public art and makes it more accessible to the public. Collaboration is the key to the success of public art in Hamilton, and I look forward to continued partnership for art in this city. The catalogue is published as part of the city's 150 Year Celebrations. Julie Hardaker, Mayor, Hamilton City Council

It is also exciting to see this collection growing in both diversity and credibility, and that our public arts are now attracting National recognition. Also, in recent times, our city has enjoyed innovative and engaging temporary works, such as Kim Paton’s Mind Map on the Angelsea Street wall and Judy Darragh’s The Plant. These are exciting times for our city, with a number of energetic and committed local arts groups who are determined to make our city a better place through gifting and commissioning of more works. Margi Moore, Chair of the Hamilton Public Art Panel

How to use this publication: This publication provides a dedicated documentation of some of the artworks in public places in Hamilton. Beginning with the Hamilton City Council’s Public Art Collection, it extends to institutions and businesses. Hamilton city is full of public artworks, and more will be added to this collection in the future. This publication can be used to learn about the artworks, visit and celebrate them. Each artwork is referenced by a number that can be located on the fold-out map at the back of the booklet.


ESSAY BY EDWARD HANFLING English art critic Roger Fry, writing in 1909, said that the best way to appreciate art is to be mentally detached from everyday matters. To illustrate this, he argued that if you were faced with an aggressive bull, you would normally feel apprehensive; you might run for your life. But if you were able to contemplate the bull as art, you could appreciate its aesthetic qualities, its strength and beauty. The example is odd because bulls are not usually considered to be artworks, and artworks are most often found in art galleries where it may be possible to imagine that they exist in a world of their own, separated out from society. And art usually does not threaten us – not physically, anyway. At the Hamilton Gardens, a bull sits peacefully on the grass. It is a bronze sculpture made by Molly Macalister in 1967 – Hamilton’s first commissioned public artwork – so it is harmless. However, public artworks do have the potential to be threatening; they can seem intrusive, indulgent, a blot on the landscape. One of the reasons for this is that while we might recognise public artworks as belonging to the realm of “art”, we sometimes encounter them simply because they are there – unavoidable landmarks on familiar, well-trodden paths – rather than because we desire an aesthetic experience. If, on the other hand, one is actively seeking out the art of an unfamiliar place, such works can seem something of an anti-climax – prosaic rather than glamorous objects, devoid of the “aura” that artworks tend to acquire when situated in the hallowed spaces of an art gallery or museum. Another, and related, problem for public artworks is that often they do not conform to what many people expect “art” to look like. Macalister’s Little Bull seems pleasant enough, but other works (particularly those that are more abstract) might be challenging. In such cases,

annoyance or confusion is understandable and even reasonable amongst those who do not pretend to be art connoisseurs or experts, or who associate art with a narrow range of styles and skills. The situation of public art is one in which it is wise to disregard Fry’s advice about aesthetic experiences. There is really no point in getting caught up in questions about art. It is better, I find, to simply consider public artworks as things in the world – things that may be more or less interesting to look at, intriguing to think about; things to touch and explore and perhaps even sit upon; things to argue about; things that say something about the places and people around them. What Hamilton has to offer is not so much an impressive mass of centrally placed monuments and statues in the European tradition, as a diverse range of artworks dispersed around the city, almost all of them with a specifically local significance. At Miropiko Pā, a small, secluded reserve between the Waikato River and River Road, there is a majestic carved pou. Further along the river, on the gable of the Waikato Museum of Art and History Te Whare Taonga o Waikato, there are further superb examples of Māori carving. The museum building as a whole, opened in 1987, is a Hamilton treasure, exuding the distinctively warm and restrained feeling characteristic of the JASMaD architectural firm. As it happens, most of Hamilton’s public artworks are not grandiose or conspicuous. They are more modest things that you come across by chance, and see as integral parts of a larger space or building. Some of these things might not even register in the mind as “art”; their impact can be subtle or subliminal. Perhaps this understated character can be attributed to the fact that Hamilton has never been perceived as an arty or ostentatious kind of place.


There are, of course, some monumental and impressive things, and in recent times the city has benefited from the initiative and vision of trusts and donors. Artworks are commissioned and acquired through donations, thereby absolving local government and the public of this responsibility, and averting all those raging debates over whether public art is a waste of ratepayers’ money. This in itself could be a catalyst for people to find pleasure in reflecting upon the things themselves and their relationship to the spaces around them, rather than charging bullishly into disagreements over their value or purpose.

Ralph Hotere’s early-1970s mural in the foyer of the Founders Theatre can be taken simply as a bunch of coloured lines that glow and pulse – optically exciting décor. However, it is also a set of symbols about light and landscape. Hamilton’s public artworks are inseparable from the environment around them, and offer the opportunity to find out more about this place, its history and culture.

Still, public art does encourage a direct encounter – an immediate reaction – and your reaction can be simple.

Art is everywhere Hamilton is full of art in unexpected places. The Waikato Museum, the University of Waikato, and in buildings and public spaces around the city, are just some of the places to engage with public art collections. Waikato Museum Art Collections: www.waikatomuseum.org.nz

Hamilton Gardens: www.hamiltongardens.co.nz

On the banks of the Waikato River, and in the heart of the cultural precinct the Waikato Museum’s exhibitions and activities tell the stories of this region, through visual art, social history, tangata whenua, and science.

The Hamilton Gardens offers a wide collection of landscaped gardens, and an extensive array of design and sculptural elements. The most recent addition is the Te Parapara Garden, celebrating traditional Māori knowledge and values.

University of Waikato: www.waikato.ac.nz/campus-art-committee There are a significant number of carved pou and whakairo, and site specific public artworks throughout the University; at entrances to schools, courtyards and foyers. For more information about the University Art Collection please see the website noted above.


Ripples

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NEIL DAWSON

If you walk down in front of the museum and look up into the sky, you might catch a glimpse of some visual trickery, an optical game, hovering between the trees. ‘Ripples’, commissioned by Hamilton law firm, McCaw Lewis Chapman, is the third suspended work created by Neil Dawson during the early stages of his public art works. After spending time at the site prior to making the work, Dawson liked the idea of playing with the relationship between water and sky, reflection and movement. Defying gravitational boundaries, a ripple effect, like that of a stone hitting water where ripples radiate out from the centre and droplets spring up, is suspended against the sky. This alternative reality offers a usually horizontal occurrence in a vertical orientation.

Suspended twenty metres above the ground, the sculpture weighs only 5kg. A preoccupation with line, shadow, and conveying three-dimensional images in two-dimensional ways is a signature of Dawson’s work. Materials: P.V.C. high-density closed-cell foam coated with carbon fibre, cloth and resin. Date: 1987. Location: Suspended 20 metres above ground, between trees, outside the Waikato Museum on the river side, 1 Grantham Street. Hamilton City Council public art collection.


THE FARMING FAMILY

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MARGRIET WINDHAUSEN

The characters of this sculpture are life-size figures of a male farmer and his wife, their two children, a cow, a sheep and a dog. Gifted to the City of Hamilton by Robert Jones Investments, this work commemorates the ordinary farming family as being iconic in the Waikato region. Windhausen is an active New Zealand sculptor. Exhibiting since 1982, she has work in public collections, and has had several commissions and awards. A recent addition to the Hamilton City Council’s public art collection is Windhausen’s ‘Captain Hamilton’, located in the Civic Square.

Materials: Date: Location:

Cast bronze. 1990. Corner of Ulster and Victoria Streets (southern end).

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


NGA URI O HINETUPARIMAUNGA Chris Booth and Diggeress Te Kanawa (1920-2009)

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As Chris Booth explains: “It was through the quest of Digger[ess] Te Kanawa and myself to find a way to celebrate the entranceway to Hamilton Gardens that the sculpture ‘Nga Uri o Hinetuparimaunga’ was born. The eroded forms of the ignimbrite escarpment at Hinuera gave inspiration for the 21 columns.” The type of stone was chosen because of its link to the Waikato region. “Erosion [of hinuera stone] over thousands of years has formed much of the land of the Waikato region, carried and deposited by the Waikato river. The land Hamilton Gardens occupies is beside the river. The stone is symbolic of this earth.” “The need to symbolically protect five of the hinuera columns with an earth blanket or kākahu, a protective woven pebble cloak, came to me from witnessing too much local, national and international disrespect for mother earth. Along with protection, the kākahu also symbolically honours the wonder of mother earth. 12,000 quartz pebbles from Southland and 1000 greywacke pebbles from Kaiaua form the kākahu which is entitled, ‘Te Kahu o Papatūānuku’. Three ancient symbols were translated into stone from a celebrated Korowai woven in thread by Diggeress Te Kanawa. They are: Nihoniho, Poutama and Toorakaraka.” The kākahu was entitled ‘Te Kahu o Papatūānuku’, on 3rd April, 2005, by Ngāti Wairere kaumātua, Haare Puke, Maniapoto kaumātua, Buddy Te Whare and Maniapoto kuia, weaver, Diggeress Te Kanawa. The title for the complete sculpture, ‘Nga Uri o Hinetuparimaunga’, was given at the official handover ceremony on 5th April, 2005, by Haare Puke and John Haunui, kaumātua of Ngāti Wairere. The work was commissioned and sponsored by WEL Energy Trust. Materials: Date: Location:

Hinuera stone. 2005. Gate 1, Hamilton Gardens, Cobham Drive.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.

PASSING RED

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GAYE JURISICH

‘Passing Red’ provides a dynamic presence as it undulates its way alongside Mill Street. The bright red steel structure can have multiple interpretations: expressing the flow of traffic; curving lanes of a road or racetrack; or the meandering of a river. Local artist, Gaye Jurisich was commissioned to make the artwork specifically for this site, relating somehow to its location alongside a major arterial route. Passing Red was sponsored by the Perry Foundation. The work was unfortunately damaged in a car accident and is to be moved to a new location that will enhance the viewing experience. Passing Red is shown on the map at the original site in Hinemoa Park near Mill Street. The new location, when confirmed, will be listed on the Hamilton City Council website. Materials: Red powder-coated galvanised steel pipes. Date: 2008. Location: Hinemoa Park, near Mill Street. Hamilton City Council public art collection.


TE Ohomauri o Matariki The Awakening Lifeforce of Matariki DION HITCHENS

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Seven vertical waka placed in the formation of the Kトェngitanga symbol of the Matariki star constellation, stand firm in the centre of a roundabout in Rototuna. Symbols on the waka tell stories of the rich heritage and history of the area. Embedded into the top of each waka are symbols representing tト]gata; the human history of the land. And at the base are symbols representing Whenua; the natural history of the land. A cluster of wild tuna, or eel, made from aluminium, are massed together and suspended in the centre of the work, representing the annual migration to Tonga.

Materials: Cedar, corten steel, aluminium and epoxy. Date: 2011. Location: Borman Road, Resolution Drive roundabout. Hamilton City Council public art collection.


TE TIAHO O MATARIKI NEIL MILLER

‘Te Tiaho o Matariki’ is a sculptural manifestation of the Pleiades in the form of a growing vine. The strong, winding tendril is also a visual reminder of the importance of the nearby Waikato River. The stars of the Matariki appear as the fruit on this extraordinary plant. The sculpture is a sign of growth, unity, and continuity. Garden Place was first used by Māori as a garden and an observatory. In particular it was a lookout for the rising of the constellation known variously as Pleiades, to Europeans, Matariki, to Māori, and Subaru, to the Japanese. A wide range of cultures observe and acknowledge this cluster of stars in their culture and art. The oldest dateable record of the star system is on a bronze disk found in Germany dating back 3,600 years. The motivations for observing Matariki are both spiritual and practical. Its arrival announces the New Year and marks the Winter Solstice, and it indicates when to plant kūmara. It is this practical aspect that gives Garden Place its current name. Materials: Date: Location:

Steel. 2011. Garden Place.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.

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TE PUMANAWA o te WHENUA BEAT CONNECTION

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SEUNG YUL OH

The ‘Beat Connection’ runs like a heartbeat graph along the grass outside the Claudelands Event Centre. The idea of depicting a hidden aspect of our inner body, the heart, in such a bold visual statement, is what appealed to the artist. The role the Event Centre has in bringing sports, concerts, and conventions to the city, relates to this work, as the excitement and emotions we experience internally are often reflected physically by our heartbeats. The artist hopes that the sculpture will engage visitors, and invite sitting, sliding and tactile interaction. The artwork was gifted to the Hamilton City Council by MESH Sculpture Hamilton. See www.meshsculpture.org.nz for more details. Materials: Date: Location:

Stainless steel 2012 Claudelands Event Centre, Heaphy Terrace.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


Te WAHAROA KI TE AO MAARAMA THE ENTRANCEWAY TO THE WORLD OF ENLIGHTENMENT

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LONNIE HUTCHINSON

This artwork refers to the historical significance of the site, and the importance of its ongoing conservation and care. Lonnie Hutchinson explains: “The kōwhaiwhai design is my interpretation of the mangŌ-pare - hammerhead shark - and is often referred to as a symbol of strength and perseverance, of never giving up. Related to my signature concertina cut-out works in black builder’s paper, the form of this work is taken from my builders paper model, which is literally a twist and bends on a closed concertina that opens down the diagonal shaft and the vertical upright. The form becomes a waharoa, or gateway, that acts as a threshold that leads into a public recreational space. The kōwhaiwhai fronds fold up and out giving a sense of flourishing energy.”

Materials: Corten steel. Date: 2013 Location: Lake Domain Reserve, corner of Pembroke and Ruakiwi Roads, Hamilton. Hamilton City Council public art collection.


FOUNDERS THEATRE MURAL

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Ralph Hotere (1931-2013)

Multi-coloured vertical lines on a deep black ground create a kind of visual music in the foyer of the Founders Theatre. The work was selected from among three other finalists’ proposals in a competition for a site specific artwork in the Founders Theatre, in 1972. Colin McCahon, Quentin MacFarlane, Para Matchitt, and Roy Thorburn, were the other finalists in the project arranged by the Hamilton City Council and the Queen Elizabeth Arts Council. The Waikato River appears in an abstract minimalist style across the full length of the painting, in blue lines crossed with silver, taken from the Hamilton Crest. Hotere referred to “Black Crucifixion” (Waikato Museum Collection) regarding his use of vertical fine lines. Widely

regarded as one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed, provocative and important artists, Hotere‘s work brought to light issues of humanity, the environment, and spirituality. Materials: Date: Location:

Brolite lacquer on board. 1973. Foyer of Founders Theatre, 221 Tristram Street.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


HAMILTON GARDENS MURAL

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DEREK KERWOOD AND MEGAN GODFREY This large mural was carved from a Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora) tree, which had been felled in Grey Street in Hamilton East. The artists were inspired by the Hamilton Gardens and decided to make and donate a carving specifically for this site. Both real-life and imagined elements of the gardens are depicted, with an emphasis on capturing the interest of children through fantasy creatures, animals, and plant life. The artwork was supported by the artists, members of the Hamilton public, and the Hamilton City Council. The carvers worked on the impressively large five meter long piece for around 7000 hours in total. Materials: Date: Location:

Wood. 1998. The main pavilion, Hamilton Gardens, Cobham Drive.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.

LIBRARY MURAL

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LYNDA HARRIS

Hand-painted ceramic tiles depicting landscape scenes wrap around the entrance pillars to the Central Library. Scenes and images from the Waikato, including rivers, lakes, birds, form narratives of the environment. This artwork was commissioned for the opening of the Library building. Lynda Harris began working with clay in 1975 and became a full-time potter in 1984 in the Waikato, specialising in raku. She exhibits regularly throughout New Zealand, has been the recipient of grants and awards, and has work in many collections. Materials: Date: Location:

Ceramic tiles. 1993. Entrance pillars, Hamilton Central Library, Garden Place.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


K

LIFE IN THE WAIKATO TE NOHO I TE ROHE O WAIKATO

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WAIKATO WOODCARVERS

The wood for these 12 carved panels originated from a Plane tree that was planted in Grey Street (Hamilton East) by George Mason in 1875, and felled in 1981. Depicting the Hamilton City Council coat of arms, aspects of Waikato industry, agriculture and leisure, this artwork reflects elements of the Waikato lifestyle. It stretches six metres across the wall in the foyer of the Hamilton City Council building.

Materials: Date: Location:

Wood. 1985. Reception, Hamilton City Council Municipal Building, Civic Square.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


[UNTITLED]

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JOAN FEAR, Campbell SMITH Inset into the wall of the Artspost building on Victoria Street are a series of etched and sculpted terracotta tiles. A collaboration by two prominent Hamilton artists, Campbell Smith and Joan Fear, this artwork was created for the opening of the art gallery, which was previously the old Post Office. The tiles depict different styles of art (top row of tiles), and feature three New Zealand women artists - Ida Carey, Frances Hodgkins and Margot Philips (lower row). Materials: Clay. Date: 1988. Location: ArtsPost foyer, 120 Victoria Street. Hamilton City Council public art collection.

[UNTITLED]

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Martin Roestenburg (1909-1966) This mosaic mural consists of small hexagonal glazed ceramic tiles, each separately coloured using the same process as for stained glass. The mural depicts design and construction aspects of buildings with a city landscape in the background. Roestenburg spent most of his life in Europe, and when he came to New Zealand in the 1950s he produced leadlight work, murals and sculpture throughout the country. This work is part of a building faรงade and is privately owned. Materials: Date: Location:

Ceramic tiles. 1958. 1088 Victoria Street (on the exterior wall of building).



Structure & Erosion

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PAUL JOHNSON

A series of handcrafted terracotta and stoneware tiles are positioned to form a large mural that flows down the stairwell wall. The artwork uses the natural behaviour of clay, both fired and unfired, as a metaphor for the Council’s task of providing physical and social order within a tendency for dissolution and chaos. Johnson has a background in Museum Studies, Art and Design, and Fine Arts, and is now a full-time sculptor.

Materials: Date: Location:

Terracotta, stoneware. 1985. Reception lounge foyer, Hamilton City Council Municipal Building, Civic Square.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


MIST ON THE RIVER

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DICK FRIZZEL

This large glasswork was made specifically for the new Skycity building in 2002. Artist Dick Frizzell was commissioned to produce a work that responded to the site’s close location to the Waikato River. Patterned glass representing rain, mist, and water was selected and sourced from Sydney, Australia, by the artist. An image of moving water cascading down the wall in a kind of vertical waterway, frames the entrance to the casino. The artist worked with technicians to create the threelevelled system of glass. Multiple layers shift and change colour with the light, giving a sense of mist and rain on the Waikato River.

Materials: Glass. Date: 2002. Location: Foyer of Skycity Hamilton, 346 Victoria Street.


TEKOTEKO AND MAIHI CARVINGS

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Hopuhopu carvers

Overlooking the Waikato River, the tekoteko and maihi carvings protrude from the Waikato Museum’s exterior. The carvings were made specifically for this site when the new museum was built.

Materials: Date: Location:

Wood. 1987. Waikato Museum (exterior roof), overlooking the Waikato River.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


WHATANOA GATE

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WIREMU PUKE

The carved Whatanoa Gateway commemorates the ancient Ngāti Wairere Pā and burial ground that once existed near the stadium. There are a number of significant elements included in the carvings on the gateway. One is the kotiate, a small war club, which is depicted on the emblems of the Super 14 Chiefs, rugby franchise, and the Waikato Rugby Union. The kotiate are held by the figures at the top of the gate up-rights. Mr Haare Puke, senior Kaumatua of Ngāti Wairere and Chairman of Ngā Mana Tōpu o Kirikiriroa, officiated at the opening of the artwork.

Materials: Date: Location:

Wood. 2004. Waikato Stadium, Tristram Street.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


Pou Whakare-HoerA WIREMU PUKE

This Pou Whakare, entitled Hoera - after Hoera Taonui, the last Ngāti Wairere chief to live at Kirikiriroa Pā - is based on posts that were commonly erected on ancient fortified Pā, prior to the 1830s. Little is known of Hoera's early life, except that he survived the attack at Mitakitaki Pā in 1822 by the invading Ngāpuhi tribes armed with muskets. He became a prominent chief between 1830 1860, when there were extraordinary changes occurring at and around Kirikiriroa Pā. Under his leadership the lands along the Waikato river were terraced and cultivated to become highly productive gardens, which supplied produce to sustain the Auckland markets. He was converted to Christianity and was largely responsible for the conversion of Ngāti Wairere people to Christianity in the 1840s. Materials: Date: Location:

Wood. 2004. Kirikiriroa Reserve, London Street (river end).

Hamilton City Council public art collection.

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POU CARVING

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WIREMU PUKE

As visitors enter the grassed and planted area nestled by the river, a towering Pou visually commands attention. Miropiko’s carved Pou portrays key ancestral high chiefs of Ngāti Wairere and their related hapū, Ngāti Hānui and Ngāti Koura. These chiefs, who once occupied Miropiko Pā, are commemorated in the ancient carving patterns painted with kokowai. Materials: Date: Location:

Wood. 2007. Miropiko Reserve, 339 River Road.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


¯ MAnia ¯ o Kirikiriroa Te KOpu Marae Carvings

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Warren McCrath

These carvings are made from traditional and modern materials including tōtara, concrete and stainless steel. They were designed and created by Tainui master carver, Warren McCrath, Ngāti Raukawa. The gateway entrance, tomokanga, designs welcome people from around the world to Wintec. The sub-tribes, hapū, of this area are shown welcoming visitors onto the marae in a central carving at the entrance. Mātauranga Māori and part of the creation story of Tainui are also represented in the carvings. On the courtyard, marae-ātea, is a 7.5 pillar pou in the form of a canoe, waka. This is the memorial pillar, waka maumahara, which faces Taupiri mountain. At the top of the waka maumahara stands the native hawk, kaahu, representing the Māori Queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu. Below this are five Niho Taniwha, a pattern representing the five Māori King, Pōtatau, Tāwhiao, Mahuta, Te Rata and Korokī. Learning and knowledge are symbolised with the manaia and matakupenga patterns through the centre, with the pūhoro design representing the Waikato River. Near the memorial pillar, waka maumahara, are seven smaller pillars, pou whakarae, which symbolise the star cluster Pleiades, Matariki. This star cluster is significant to Māori and Tainui culture. There are doorway Lintels, Pare and Whakawae, window Lintel, Kōrupe, and internal Wharenui Post, Pou-tūārangi, located in the main building. If you would like to enter the building please first contact the Marae office through www.wintec.ac.nz or phone 0800 294 6832.

Materials: Date: Location:

Tōtara, concrete, stainless steel. 2012 Wintec Marae, access from corner of Ward & Anglesea Streets.



Little Bull

Molly Macalister (1920-1979)

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This public artwork was the first addition to the Hamilton City Council collection in 1968. The simplified and stylised image of the ‘Bull’ received varied public response, from admiration to outcry. The artwork was vandalised several times soon after its installation via graffiti and a fire-bomb. The large, simplified form, broad planes, textural marks, and only a suggestion of feet and a tail, offer a beautifully uncluttered representation of a bull. Macalister made a clay model weighing half a ton, in her Takapuna backyard, before casting the work in bronze. Positioned in a garden, Little Bull could be seen as a symbol of the Waikato’s link to the dairy industry and agricultural splendour. But mostly the artist wanted to make an artwork that encouraged tactile engagement and enjoyment. The smooth bronze, particularly when warmed by the sun, is a wonderful tactile experience. Molly Macalister began her career training at Canterbury School of Art from 1937 to 1939, and has retained a long-standing presence in New Zealand sculpture with exhibitions, and public and private commissions. ‘Little Bull’ was sponsored

by Hamilton Jaycees as a centennial gift to the city, supported by the Queen Elizabeth Arts Council, and the residents of Hamilton. Materials: Date: Location:

Cast bronze. 1968. Hamilton Gardens, near Gate 2 (access from car park 4c).

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


RIFF RAFF

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WETA WORKSHOP

Before it was demolished, the Embassy Theatre existed on the site where Riff Raff now stands. Riff Raff, is a character in the Rocky Horror Picture Show, a cult musical created by Richard O’Brien. O’Brien’s development in theatre began here in Hamilton, where he spent some of his childhood. The artwork celebrates O’Brien’s international success. The statue is a life-size cast bronze sculpture created by Weta Workshop, designed by Greg Broadmore, sculpted by Brigitte Wuest, and engineered by Dave Irons. It was commissioned and gifted to the city by Mark Servian, the Riff Raff Public Arts Trust, and the Perry Foundation. Visit www.riffraffstatue.org for a link to a live webcam, plus images of the design, the making, and installation of the work.

KORU FAMILY

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CARLA VAN DE VEEN This sculpture is also known as the ‘Millennium Family’ or the ‘Millennium Koru’. It was gifted to the city by the Year 2000 Millennium Committee to commemorate the new millennium. Te Aroha sculptor, Carla Van de Veen, used the local material of hinuera stone from the Hinuera Quarries. The group of koru shapes symbolise the unfolding of new life; links to the past, present and future; and the love of the family unit. Materials: Hinuera stone Date: 2000 Location: Ferrybank Reserve, below the Waikato Museum, 1 Grantham Street. Hamilton City Council public art collection.

Materials: Date: Location:

Bronze. 2004. Embassy Park, Victoria Street.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.



CAPTAIN HAMILTON

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MARGRIET WINDHAUSEN

The historical figure of Captain Hamilton comes alive in Margriet Windhausen’s representation of the man who the city is named after.* The artist worked from photographs of Captain Hamilton and from research on the Royal Naval Uniforms dating from around 1860. Holding his ceremonial sword close to his body, he stands as a life-size image of early New Zealand European history. Cast in bronze, as in Windhausen’s other Hamilton public artwork The Farming Family, the sculpture has a sense of weight and solidity. The artwork was gifted to the City of Hamilton by the Gallagher Group.

Materials: Bronze. Date: 2013. Location: Outside the Hamilton City Council Municipal Building, Civic Square. Hamilton City Council public art collection. * Note: the person who gave the city the name Hamilton is Colonel Moule, who named it a few months after Captain Hamilton died.


THE LAST OF THE JUST

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Molly Macalister (1920-1979) This representation of the human figure in concrete is slightly elongated and unusually thin. Influenced by her interest in Italian sculpture, it is typical of Molly Macalister’s work at the time. The Last of the Just depicts a mutilated human figure, representing Hungary after its occupation by the Russians. The artwork was purchased by the Students’ Association and staff members for the Hamilton branch of the University of Auckland in 1963. Macalister began her career training at Canterbury School of Art from 1937 to 1939, and has had a longstanding presence in New Zealand sculpture, including public and private commissions. Materials: Date: Location:

Concrete. 1960. The south side of Chapel Lake, University of Waikato.

NICE ROUND FIGURE

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DAVID MCCRACKEN

Poised at the rise of a gentle grassy slope is David McCracken’s 1.2 metre shiny steel sphere. Reflecting its surroundings, the object draws in the colours and lines of its environment. It gives a sense of anticipation as it looks ready to roll. Materials: Date: Location:

Stainless steel 2003 Lawn between I, J, and S Block, University of Waikato.


FEATHERWEIGHT

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PAUL DIBBLE

This towering representation of a Huia feather stands at three-metres high, as a monument to the cultural significance of the extinct Huia bird. The cry of the Huia was last heard in the early 20th century. The beautiful and distinctive New Zealand bird was prized for its striking black feathers marked with white on the tips. To honour them, MÄ ori adorned high ranking chiefs and their families, and dignitaries, with these feathers. Paul Dibble is a fourth generation New Zealander. He was born in 1943 in a small town called Waitakaruru, and travelled to Thames to attend high school. To sit the entrance exam for Elam School of Fine Arts he had to motorcycle 20km each day. From humble beginnings, Dibble has enjoyed many awards and achievements, become a significant artist in contemporary New Zealand sculpture, and gained an increasingly substantial international following. This artwork was commissioned to celebrate the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the University of Waikato.

Materials: Date: Location:

Bronze. 2004. Outside the Academy of Performing Arts (Lakeside), University of Waikato.



KOANGA

29

EUGENE KARA

Eugene Kara explains: “This artwork was made for Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao, The School of Māori and Pacific Development, The University of Waikato, Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato. It represents the history of the land, the people, the University and our future. It stands in the court yard of Te Pua Wānanga ki te Ao, The School of Māori and Pacific Development at the University of Waikato, to welcome students, staff and visitors to a special place of learning. Kōanga (spring) is a time in our calendar that brings new beginnings and this work is inspired by the gardeners of the past and their aspirations of a sustainable, healthy and prosperous future for the community.”

Each bronze figure derives its form from the elegantly shaped Māori tools that were used for gardening; these were the kō, kāheru and timo, amongst others. A total of seven bronze figures make up the work Koanga, clustered together to represent a unified whānau that shelter and protect the future generation coming through. The work hopes to inspire and remind our community that through diligence and perseverance goals of achieving at the highest level can be attained.” Materials: Date: Location:

Bronze. 2013. Tainui Court (Outside A Block – East lawn), University of Waikato.

‘Nā tō rourou, nā taku rourou ka ora ai te iwi’ - with your food basket and my food basket the people will thrive.

NGA TOHU MAARAMA SYMBOLS OF UNDERSTANDING

30

JEREMY SHIRLEY

Part of the requirements for this bright and playful artwork, were to make use of the existing posts in the main lake by the Village Green. The seven “icons” in this work reflect ‘Ko Te Tangata’, the Waikato University’s whakatauki, or motto, through the use of motifs representing the KĪngitanga, Polynesia, diversity, truth, excellence, communication, awareness and growth.

Diversity: fluttering flags of nations from around the world.

KĪngitanga: these five shapes represent the five historic Māori Kings - Te Wherowhero, Tāwhiao, Mahuta, Te Rata and King Korokī - preceding the Māori Queen, Te Atairangi Kaahu and the current king, Kīngi Tuheitia Paki. The symbol at the top is the mangō-pare, or hammerhead shark, which is a symbol of strength.

Awareness: the eye shape symbolises life and presence.

Polynesia: this flower form is used throughout Polynesia and is a symbol of fruition and completion.

Truth: the diamond shapes represent excellence. Communication: this shape is a reference to written words and numbers.

Growth: the germination of a seed through to the development of the root. Materials: Date: Location:

Painted laser-cut steel. 2013. Oranga Lake, University of Waikato.



AUREI RANGI KIPA

The aurei has customarily been used as a kaakahu clasp, functioning to hold together the top edge of the prestigious Māori cloak. The aurei also has an alternate, complementary function as a needle and, historically, was commonly worn by Māori chiefs as an ear pendant. This six meter high sculpture represents these three functions, symbolically connecting things, people, relationships, kaupapa, and ideologies, together. Visual cues from the nearby Students Centre’s whatu kaakahu wall, and the historically rich narratives of the Mana/ Tangata Whenua, have all influenced the ideas in this artwork. “Kotahi te koohao o te ngira, e kuhu ai te miro maa, te miro pango, te miro whero. I muri, ka mau ki te aroha, te ture, me te whakapono”. “Hold fast to love, to the law, and to faith in God”. In this proverbial saying, Kiingi Pootatau metaphorically called upon his people and, stressing the spirit of unity symbolised by the kingship, likened his position to the ‘eye of the needle through which the white, black and red threads must pass’. Aurei was commissioned for the occasion of the completion of the Student Centre building refurbishment. Materials: Date: Location:

Bronze and stainless steel. 2011. Outside Student Centre (East lawn), University of Waikato.

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TE MATARIKI

32

BRETT GRAHAM

Resting in a paved courtyard, this sculpture is based on the star cluster Matariki, which has significance for Māori. The rising of the star cluster, which appears in late May or early June, signifies the beginning of the Māori New Year. It is a time to give thanks to the land and to celebrate community. In the work the seven points symbolise the seven stars in the group and the seven attributes - he mana, he tika, he aroha, he mōhio, he kaha, he pai and he oranga. The shape resembles a young plant, a symbol for growing and striving for knowledge. The work is also connected to the flag of Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu.

Materials: Laminated tanalised pine, stained and varnished Date: 1994 Location: Law School Courtyard, University of Waikato.


[untitled]

33

HOLLY SANFORD

This artwork is located in a City Council stairwell that provides access to other parts of the building, a space that benefits from the drama of the colourful, dynamic glasswork. Working with architects De Lisle, Fraser, Smith and Pickering, the artist was able to integrate the glasswork into the building structure. The work is large (45 square metres) and can be viewed from multiple positions. There is a hidden treasure just below and to the left of the stairs, and the perspective from the top of the stairs allows the full impact of the artwork to be experienced.

Materials: Date: Location:

Stained glass. 1984. Reception lounge foyer, Hamilton City Council Municipal Building, Civic Square.

Hamilton City Council public art collection.


BALLANTRAE WINDOWS

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PARA MATCHITT

This strikingly vibrant stained glass artwork stretches across three sides of a stairwell in the foyer of the School of Māori and Pacific Development. Sunlight illuminates and reflects the glass. The 27 panels are divided into three sections. The first section represents knowledge, depicted as ‘Kete o te Wānanga’ - the baskets of knowledge; the second section shows the nature of the ancient Waikato, the river forming a central motif with the whakatauki ‘He piko, he taniwha’ - on every bend of the river there is power; and the third section represents elements of the cosmos, with the Southern Cross fixing the design in space and Halley’s Comet fixing it in time.

Materials: Stained glass. Date: 1987. Location: Foyer of the School of Māori and Pacific Development, University of Waikato.


MIND MAP Kim Paton

A temporary public artwork [2012/2013]


Mindmap was a temporary public art project that took place on the Wintec Wall on Anglesea Street, from November 2012 to January 2013 by artist Kim Paton. Spanning 246 metres along the wall, and 10 metres high, the work captivated pedestrians and motorists. Based on the simple notion of a mindmap, the artwork connected words and concepts through personal association and coding. Content for the map was assembled from hundreds of sources, including newspaper articles, public records, historical accounts and fiction, all associated with the colonisation and development of Hamilton city. Members of the public were invited to contribute their own words to the map via

a website which the artist used to shape the final artwork. The work was commissioned by Hamilton City Council and Spark with sponsorship from Norris Ward McKinnon. Materials:

Printed vinyl adhesive.


A touring public artwork [2008]

A temporary public artwork [2011]

Holidays in Huntly

Equanimity

A life-size caravan made entirely from Huntly Brick, this work by Lange is part of a larger series he began in 2002 with his six metre long brick boat, and was later explored in more depth as the recipient of the Creative New Zealand Craft Fellowship in 2005.

During February and March of 2011, a public artwork entitled ‘Equanimity’, consisting of two parts, was installed in Garden Place. A light box sign with the words “I don’t blame you” was positioned outside an empty retail shop. This could be read “I don’t blame you” or “I blame you” depending on your proximity to the sign. The nearby Central Library hosted the second part of the project, in which members of the public were invited to offer anonymous written responses to the statement, and the postcards were then displayed. The collection of postcards and their responses from the public grew over the course of the project, illuminating similarities and differences across our lives.

Peter Lange

The work was an entry in the national WaiClay ceramics award at the Waikato Museum in 2008. It was purchased by Trust Waikato Te Puna o Waikato and has been on tour throughout Waikato. Peter Lange was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1944. After a period travelling the world, Lange returned to New Zealand and set himself up in Warkworth with a diesel kiln, where he produced stoneware domestic pottery. In the 1980s he began experimenting with slip cast ceramics which allowed him to work in a more sculptural way. From 1997 - 2008, Lange was the director of the Auckland Studio Potters Teaching Centre in Onehunga, Auckland. See www.trustwaikato.co.nz for its current location. Materials: Date:

Bricks and epoxy mortar, reinforcing bars. 2008.

ALIX ROGERSON

Materials: Date:

Light box, vinyl text, card. 2011.


A temporary public artwork [2011]

A temporary public artwork [2011]

THE PLANT

Birdsong

Judy Darragh’s temporary public art project ‘The Plant’ consisted of thousands of coloured ping pong balls that were “planted” along the bank of the Waikato River near the Victoria Bridge, as part of the Hamilton River Festival on the 8th October, 2011. Over the course of the day, multi-coloured balls were amassed as the public and helpers contributed to the growing artwork sprawling on the natural grass backdrop. The artist’s ideas were about a play on words. The idea of people working together by labouring to produce an artwork, and in a sense adding to the “bank” – not a financial but a landscape one, appealed to the artist.

This project was primarily a sound-based work installed in 12 locations around the central city, offering unexpected encounters with sounds long gone from the Hamilton landscape. Pedestrians unwittingly triggered sensors installed under the eaves of shops, activating the calls of native birds once common in Hamilton and the Waikato, including kiwi, kōkako, kākāpō, and weka. Accompanying the sound works were plaques, stencils, and handmade posters that identified the birds, placed on bollards and buildings around the city. The project took place during February and March 2011.

JUDY DARRAGH

People working together; labouring to produce an artwork and adding to the bank - in this case not money but ping pong balls; and a factory plant, are all associations that can be made with the project. Formal aspects of pointillism, Suerat, in particular, can be suggested by the work. This was a Kate & Alison organised project. Materials: Date:

Coloured ping pong balls, skewers 2011

adrienne Grant

Materials: Wood, infrared sensor; native bird recordings; stainless steel, stencils, posters. Date: 2011


LIST OF WORKS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

RIPPLES NEIL DAWSON THE FARMING FAMILY MARGRIET WINDHAUSEN NGA URI O HINETUPARIMAUNGA CHRIS BOOTH AND DIGGERESS TE KANAWA PASSING RED GAYE JURISICH TE OHOMAURI O MATARIKI THE AWAKENING LIFEFORCE OF MATARIKI DION HITCHENS TE TIAHO O MATARIKI NEIL MILLER TE PUMANAWA O TE WHENUA BEAT CONNECTION SEUNG YUL OH TE WAHAROA KI TE AO MAARAMA THE ENTRANCEWAY TO THE WORLD OF ENLIGHTENMENT LONNIE HUTCHINSON FOUNDERS THEATRE MURAL RALPH HOTERE HAMILTON GARDENS MURAL DEREK KERWOOD AND MEGAN GODFREY LIBRARY MURAL LYNDA HARRIS LIFE IN THE WAIKATO TE NOHO I TE ROHE O WAIKATO WAIKATO WOODCARVERS [UNTITLED] JOAN FEAR, CAMPBELL SMITH UNTITLED MOSAIC MURAL MARTIN ROESTENBURG STRUCTURE & EROSION PAUL JOHNSON MIST ON THE RIVER DICK FRIZZEL TEKOTEKO AND MAIHI CARVINGS HOPUHOPU CARVERS

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

WHATANOA GATE WIREMU PUKE POU WHAKARE-HOERA WIREMU PUKE POU CARVING WIREMU PUKE TE KŌPU MĀNIA O KIRIKIRIROA MARAE CARVINGS WARREN MCCRATH LITTLE BULL MOLLY MACALISTER RIFF RAFF WETA WORKSHOP KORU FAMILY CARLA VAN DE VEEN CAPTAIN HAMILTON MARGRIET WINDHAUSEN THE LAST OF THE JUST MOLLY MACALISTER NICE ROUND FIGURE DAVID MCCRACKEN FEATHERWEIGHT PAUL DIBBLE KOANGA EUGENE KARA NGA TOHU MAARAMA SYMBOLS OF UNDERSTANDING JEREMY SHIRLEY AUREI RANGI KIPA TE MATARIKI BRETT GRAHAM [UNTITLED] HOLLY SANFORD BALLANTRAE WINDOWS PARA MATCHITT Note: The temporary artworks are not included on this map.

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HAMILTON PUBLIC ART MAP 19

2

6 33 12 21

16

20

18

11 4

25 15

14

23

17 1

13

24 See inset left

HAMILTON CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT

8


HAMILTON NORTH THE UNIVERSITY

5

OF WAIKATO

28 30

31 29

32

26 27

34

7

HAMILTON Gardens

3 22

Map data © Google 2014.

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