'Home Land See' - Love Your Maunga - Maungauika

As the government & councils of Aotearoa become more aware of the importance of acknowledging historical occupation, woven within some of those important progressions is the claiming back of space.

Known for most lifetimes as North Head, Maungauika has sat proudly at the entrance of the harbour watching over the moana & those who come near. Tribal connection to this maunga (mountain) are deep & layered, for over a century that ability to occupy this space & to engage it in a way that is culturally significant has been lost until recently. Under the guidance of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority we had the privilege of creating a piece of work on the water tank that sits right at the tihi (summit) as a beacon & reminder of indigenous & natural connection.

The Kuaka (Godwit) has the longest non stop flight path of any other bird on this planet. It is a special realisation that Māori followed, acknowledged & studies their flight paths knowing that they lead to places of abundant kai (food) & okioki (rest). The image of this manu flying through realms of time time & space towards a great harvest wrap the 12m circumference. Painted over 4 days including a Prada Cup race day where the AC36 boats raced quickly below, 'Home Land See' sat watching over this space. Mana whenua presence, a collective response as an event named 'Love Your Maunga' was about reclaiming the mana of this mountain back from the more recent military/naval history & presence.

Thank you to Amiria Puia Taylor & Paris Kirby for including us in this kaupapa & for trusting us with such an important task. Phase 2 is in place and ready to be activated alongside a large range of other art installations from different creatives & during the weekend festival activities in mid March.

Americas Cup AC36 - 'Te Pou'

As mana whenua, the ability to highlight the beauty of te Ao Māori in Tāmaki comes both as a huge privilege & responsibility. To then do that on a global stage while creating artwork in which the goal is to showcase the beauty of Aotearoa to the world while keeping locals aware & educated came as an exciting challenge.

The 36th Americas Cup held in Auckland has come at a time where the world is facing difficult times due to the Covid Pandemic. Functioning as a large bubble down at the bottom of the globe it has quickly become the backdrop of hope for those who have faced unimaginable challenges & who are watching from all around the world.

The hospitality space named 'Te Pou' (given by Ngāti Whātua o Õrākai) is a haven of life & rejuvenation. The layers of design reflect our connection with both the moana (ocean) & ngahengahe (forest). Stories of old, modern reflections, deeper korero - the contemporary design is a reminder of the progression of our culture into a place where we are able to navigate modern sporting events & global media attention. Bold, layered, ancient, modern, it is our take on our space & our gift to the user guided by the stories of Tāne-mahuta & mana whenua input. Thank you to Auckland Unlimited, AC36 organisers, Skycity, the relevant Government agencies, Tourism & Economic departments & most importantly our whanaunga & Iwi leaders who whakapapa as mana whenua to this beautiful rohe (area) & call Tāmaki home. It is a huge honour to have been involved & to have this become a place of rest, rejuvenation & culture amongst the busy Americas Cup event in Auckland City & to have our mayor Phil Goff open the space.

Save the Manumea Campaign - Samoa

Back pre-covid when the world was a little easier to navigate we worked alongside a bunch of amazing people to create the Manumea mural in Samoa. Supported by both the Samoan and New Zealand governments, visual arts were used as a key campaign strategy in the plight to save the national bird of Samoa from extinction. The Save the Manumea campaign brings attention to the fact that it is on the brink of extinction. Standing over 2 stories high on the side of the NZ High Commission in Apia, Samoa - the message is loud & clear that together we want to champion its call for survival & restore the pride of this symbol of the nation. Partners for the project included:

Samoa Conservation Society SCS

Strengthening Multi- Sectoral Management of Critical Landscapes in Samoa (SMSMSL)

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment MNRE

New Zealand high Commission NZHC

With the help of Jane & Olsen Va'afusuaga we spent 6 days in the sun & rain completing the work before the unveiling attended by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (NZ), Dept Prime Minister of Samoa Fiame Naomi Mata'afa & dignitaries from around the Pacific. What a huge privilege and honour for us to be involved, we have then returned to upskill local art teachers from around the nation on how to paint large scale so that they will have the skills to continue this on.