Riverside sculpture makes an entrance
It will stand 8 metres tall by 10m wide by the banks of Christchurch’s Avon River, and has been designed to create the wow factor.
Details of Christchurch’s newest public artwork have been unveiled as preparations are made to install it outside the city’s new convention centre, Te Pae.
Called Te Aika 2021, the shiny white sculpture will form a ceremonial entrance to Te Pae, which opens later this year.
It will be installed progressively over the next few months.
Te Aika was designed by two Ngai Tahu artists: Rachael Rakena from Christchurch and Simon Kaan of Dunedin.
‘‘We hope people are going to love it and be able to completely take ownership of it,’’ Kaan said.
The sculpture is being produced by the Scape public art organisation with input from the Matapopore Charitable Trust, which acts as a cultural adviser to Ngai Tahu. The artwork cost $440,000, and was funded as part of the Crown’s $475 million Te Pae budget.
Scape’s Carolyne Grant said with its ‘‘very large’’ dimensions and riverside location, Te Aika was intended to make an impact.
Its steel frame would be clad in aluminium panels with a textured white coating designed to gleam in the light.
‘‘It really will have a wow factor. There’s so much detail in the production of it,’’ she said.
As well as forming an entranceway, or ngutu, it would be used for formal cultural ceremonies and welcomes.
The design was inspired partly by the home of Ngai Tuahuriri chief Aperahama Te Aika at Kaiapoi. His whare was captured in a watercolour painting by artist Charles Haubroe in 1855.
Information from Canterbury Museum stated that similar ngutu were sketched at Taumutu, Birdlings Flat, and Arowhenua in Christchurch, and as far south as Bluff.
‘‘The whare’s distinctive crossbeam apex was an architectural feature unique to Ngai Tahu and was used in many buildings in the South Island,’’ the museum said.
Matapopore trustee Lynne-Harata Te Aika said local hapu Ngai Tuahuriri was proud that a modern version of the entranceway would be replicated at Te Pae.
The sculpture’s surface would be textured like a feathered cloak to create a sense of protection, with a series of folds and cuts reflecting light and shadow.
Another influence was the wings of the ko¯ tuku (white heron), Rakena said. ‘‘It’s a convention centre, people will fly in from around the world. We talk about our visitors as a flock of birds. The idea of people alighting here is a lovely thought.’’
Rakena said she and Kaan were honoured to be chosen to create an artwork that would ‘‘uphold the mana of the hapu’’ in the city. ‘‘The sculpture is a significant cultural purpose, as well as holding space.’’
Kaan said Te Aika would be open to people’s individual interpretation, ‘‘which is the sign of a successful piece of work’’.