MEDIA RELEASE
30 April 2007

Sentinel sculptures light up entrance to Auckland Museum

AUCKLAND MUSEUM unveils
Whaowhia

Leading New Zealand artist Brett Graham unveils his new sculpture Whaowhia at the Auckland Museum on Friday May 5.

“Whaowhia”, is a reference to the Gilbert Archey motto associated with the Auckland Institute and Museum coat of arms. It was commissioned by the Edmiston Trust for this specific location, and is a new addition to the Trust’s trail of contemporary sculpture trail within The Domain.

The sculpture takes the form of two urns, carved from white and black marble. The surface of each is embellished with carved motifs which symbolise several of the collections and responsibilities of the Museum. The urn forms reflect the role of the Museum as a ‘container’ of cultural, heritage and scientific properties; a preserver and protector – a Pataka Matauranga.

Each urn has been cut into a series of horizontal bands and reassembled, Graham explains that “the deconstruction and reconstruction of the form is a metaphor for the Polynesian renaissance, literal cultural reconstruction.” The addition of layer upon layer of stone is also symbolic of the Museum’s Maori name, Paenga Hira, referring to the Ngati Whatua practice of marking boundaries with basalt mounds.

The carved “emblems” include a nautilus shell, butterfly, flame, Maihi and Amo, starfish, moa, Zero aircraft, cross, beetle, Airforce roundel, Pa, flower symbol from a Samoan siapo, eel, hand, shell, whakapakoko or carved walking stick.

Whaowhia will stand in close proximity to the recently revealed work Spine by DR Peter Nicholls’. Spine is on a long-term loan from the Auckland Art gallery, and along with Whaowhia is located at the southern entrance to the Museum. Both sculptures are new editions to the Edmiston trusts trial of contemporary sculpture that have recently been installed around the Domain.

Brett Graham and Rachel Rakena have been selected by curator Robert Storr to exhibit their multi-media collaboration ANIWANIWA at this year’s Venice Biennale, Collateral Events.

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