Stair rainbows at Ronwood Ave

‘‘Each of the seven floors prisms are one colour of the rainbow, which act as a way finder to each floor as you navigate the building ’’

It’s been three years in the making but now an Auckland Council public artwork project is complete.

Last year, Night/I Love You by Lonnie Hutchinson was installed on the exterior of the Ronwood Ave car park in Manukau.

The final piece Me Rongo/Walk in Rainbows by Reuben Paterson has recently been installed.

The final piece of artwork is a collaboration between Paterson and Taranaki-based prism artist Walter Foott.

Together they have developed a brightly coloured, giant, beaded curtain of hand-cast prisms, using sunlight to create a large-scale and unique rainbow effect in the stairwells of the building.

Paterson says a total of 148 prisms were designed and hand fabricated for the artwork by Walter Foott.

’’Each of the seven floors prisms are one colour of the rainbow, which act as a way finder to each floor as you navigate the building especially if you choose to walk in rainbows rather than catching the lift.’’

‘‘It also creates the rainbow colour pattern when viewing the entire stairwell. Each floor is allocated a different platonic solid that is now inclusive of the full circle prism,’’ he says.

The permanent installation is known as Night and Day. Paterson has formed the Day component and while Lonnie’s Hutchinsons rainbow neon text artwork forms the night component.

Paterson says he enjoyed so many parts, from working with Lonnie and Walter, to searching the world looking for prisms that would throw a large rainbow.

‘‘One other thing is seeing a very utilitarian structure being given the opportunity to be beautiful and for this beauty to be proclaiming so much love.’’

Council arts culture and events committee chairman Councillor Alf Filipaina says public art is about making the place we live and work in more enjoyable.

‘‘It creates a sense of pride and It gets people talking, starts a conversation about the neighbourhood. It also brings an otherwise ordinary building to life.’’

*Visit the stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/manukaucourier/ to see a video of the artwork.