‘Fantastic’ sculpture gifted to city
Hamilton has a new addition to its public art with the gifting of a 4.5m sculpture at Lake Rotoroa.
Lake Rotoroa is home to Hamilton’s newest public sculpture after a ritual in which members of the public were invited to touch the work, symbolically transferring energy to it.
The sculpture was gifted to Hamilton city by Mesh charitable trust on Monday evening.
The name of the piece is Te Waharoa ki te Ao Maarama, which means the entrance way to the world of enlightenment.
Mayor Julie Hardaker accepted the art work on behalf of the city and paid tribute to it at the unveiling ceremony.
“I know that I actually don’t need to say anything because behind me is something absolutely fantastic for us as a city. And fantastic for us as individuals, because we are expressing our creativity, and our culture, and our art and our city,” Ms Hardaker said.
Multimedia artist Lonnie Hutchinson said she created the piece as her response to the history of the lake and its significance to the tangata whenua in the past, present, and future.
About 250 people attended the ceremony and some took part in a ritual accompanied by a formal karanga.
Those who took part walked around the work and placed their hands on the sculpture.
The process symbolised the transference of energies into the art piece, creating a synergy that represented a union of the people.
Mesh chair Nancy Craiger said: “The beauty of outdoor sculptures is that it’s tactile. It is work that we can touch, and we can feel its texture, and we can feel its strength, and energy. It is actually a warm piece of work if you touch it. It has absorbed the warmth of the sun and now it has absorbed our energy as well, and it is given back to us.”
Manu Harris stumbled across the ceremony by accident.
“I was just going out for a walk when I saw everyone walking around the sculpture,” he said.
“I think it looks really good. It has a nice cultural feel about it, and it’s a nice touch for the lake,” Harris said.
Ms Craiger said Mesh’s aim was to create an artistic legacy for people of Hamilton and beyond to enjoy.
The sculpture is made from steel, and stands 4.5 metres tall.
It was built by Jensen Steele, and Ms Craiger said the engineering services were provided free by Homes Consulting Group.
Mesh works closely with the Hamilton City Council to identify key areas around the city that are suitable for these types of art pieces.
The first sculpture it gifted to the city was Beat Connection, at the Claudelands Events Centre.
Ms Hardaker said she was pleased that Mesh had been formed. “You’re going from strength to strength. This is the second piece within the matter of a year that we now have in the city thanks to your work, and all your hard work,” she said.
