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Last modified: 21 Aug 2023 2:12pm

SCAPE Public Art, in partnership with Selwyn District Council and the Rolleston Residents’ Association, is proud to announce a new permanent public artwork to become an iconic landmark of the Rolleston Town Centre.

Arts laureate Dr Areta Wilkinson (Ngāi Tahu) was selected by a panel from the Rolleston Residents’ Association, Selwyn District Council, SCAPE Public Art and Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki ki Taumutu as mana whenua, to create a new public artwork for Rolleston. The work will be located in Rolleston Town Centre’s newly developed reserve, surrounded by the community enrichment of Te Ara Ātea, a sensory garden, and youth recreation space.

Dr Wilkinson’s distinctive and meaningful new artwork, Toro Atua, takes inspiration from ancestral rock art of Te Waipounamu. The work will take the form of 20 light-reflecting stainless-steel figures, mounted on tall, slender poles to vibrate with life, shimmering slightly in the air far above our heads. The tallest of these will be 4 metres high and the 20 figures will be arranged in groups throughout the reserve, leading people through the landscape and indicating areas of importance.

Toro Atua adds an important voice and perspective to the narrative of the region, reflecting Selwyn’s environmental history and unique cultural identity. Dr Wilkinson conceived the artwork as imagined guardians; timeless swimming, standing or flying creatures. Her vision is for a recognisable herald of the Rolleston community hub that also sits in harmony with its landscape, delighting and intriguing residents and passersby.

“The opportunity of creating a taonga work for this community is immensely fulfilling and a true highlight. The process to date has been very thoughtful and the new objects will land in a beautiful environment warmed by people.”

Speaking about Toro Atua, Ruahikihikitanga Portfolio Leader Puamiria Parata-Goodall said, “The sculpture Areta will create is based upon the cultural narrative Ngāi Te Ruahikihiki ki Taumutu gifted to the Selwyn District Council for Te Ara Ātea. The narrative speaks to the whakapapa, kōrero and mahinga kai traditional food and resource practices. It also speaks to the importance of the site as a pou whenua or marker in the network of traditional and now contemporary trails across the landscape of Tauwharekākaho Rolleston.”

The Residents’ Association and the Council agreed for the public artwork to be installed in the Rolleston Town Centre and to partner with SCAPE to deliver the artwork.

The Rolleston Town Centre is a rapidly developing project which is already becoming a thriving and vibrant social hub. Regular community events combine with a variety of retail and entertainment facilities to attract visitors from throughout the Selwyn District and surrounding regions.

Mayor Sam Broughton says it’s great to see the vision for art in Selwyn being realised with beautiful public artwork in the town centre.

“It’s been a real community project working with the Residents’ Association, SCAPE, mana whenua and other representatives all involved, and it’s exciting to have something that fits so well into the wider vision of the Town Centre and the stories it tells about what makes us Waikirikiri Selwyn.”

“We are proud to be part of the team producing this significant artwork for the Selwyn District,” said SCAPE Public Art Executive Director Richard Aindow. “It is a work that celebrates an award-winning Ngāi Tahu artist and the heritage and stories of this beautiful area. As a resident of Selwyn this is especially exciting for me personally. Toro Atua will connect Selwyn with a wider collection of high-quality public artworks in Waitaha Canterbury, furthering SCAPE’s vision to enrich our communities and make public art accessible to all.”

SCAPE is managing a mixed funding campaign. The Rolleston Residents Association confirmed delegated funds of $220,000 from the Selwyn District Council. These funds, along with the $220,000 funds to be raised by SCAPE, will bring the budget to $440,000 which will cover the full cost for delivery of the public artwork.

The foundations for Toro Atua have been laid and the estimated completion date is April 2024.

FAQ’s

What is the artwork?

Toro Atua will take the form of 20 light-reflecting stainless steel figures, mounted on tall, slender poles to vibrate with life, shimmering slightly in the air far above our heads. The tallest of these will be 4 metres high and the 20 figures will be arranged in groups throughout the Rolleston Town Centre reserve areas, leading people through the landscape and indicating areas of importance.

Where and when is it being installed?

The intention is to have all the poles installed by April 2024. They will be arranged in groups around public gathering areas and pathways, leading people through the landscape and indicating areas of importance.

Why is it being installed?

Following consultation with the community, money was set aside for the Rolleston Residents’ Association to fund artwork for the town. It was decided that the Town Centre project was a good opportunity to use this funding.

Part of the vision for creating a welcoming community space in the Rolleston Town Centre was both to make a fun, vibrant space and to tell the stories of Waikirikiri Selwyn and its people. Toro Atua is another step in that process, fulfilling the community’s vision for more art in the town and supporting the town centre with a vibrant art work that speaks to the stories of our district.

How was this artwork chosen?

The Rolleston Residents’ Association and the Council partnered with SCAPE Public Art to run the project. The parties put together a brief for artists and a panel of community representatives and industry experts selected the artwork from the submissions.

Who is the artist?

Dr. Areta Wilkinson is a contemporary artist whose creative practice moves freely on and off the body as site, and into the field of installation. Her exquisite works explore art as a form of knowledge and practice with Māori philosophies – especially whakapapa and a worldview informed by Ngāi Tahu perspectives. She quietly crosses disciplines and boundaries with immense skill and perception. Areta is inspired by place and sees her work as a continuous exploration of the narratives that have shaped both her identity and her practice.

Alongside her creative works, Areta has a strong collaborative ethos and supports a community of artists in her orbit. She has worked collectively with groups like Paemanu: Ngāi Tahu Contemporary Visual Arts and Oxford Gallery toi o Waimakariri, worked on partnership projects with artists such as photographer Mark Adams, and supports iwi agencies such as Aukaha charged with inserting Ngāi Tahu visibility into the public realm of Otepoti Dunedin. Areta is an active member of the Māori Womens Welfare League Rāpaki Branch as modelled by her Taua (grandmother).

Her work is well represented in New Zealand collections including Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum and Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, Wellington. Areta currently lives and works in Oxford, New Zealand near the foothills of the Southern Alps. In 2022 she was recipient of the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate receiving the Jillian Friedlander Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Award

How much will it cost?

The Rolleston Residents’ Association had the delegation for $220,000 to put towards public art in the town. These funds, along with the $220,000 funds to be raised by SCAPE, will bring the budget to $440,000 which will cover the full cost for delivery of the public artwork.

Toro Atua is quality long-lasting public artwork with a 50-year life expectancy and low maintenance, representing the current market value. Toro Atua is a Taonga for the community into the future.

Where is the artwork being made?

The artwork was engineered locally and is being made in Ōtautahi Christchurch by specialist fabricators for integration across the landscaping plan for Rolleston Town Centre.

Will the poles be able to be climbed?

The Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), crime prevention philosophy based on proper design and effective use of the built environment, was used to undertake a full technical assessment of the public artwork design. Concluding that the groupings of artworks placed across the Rolleston Town Centre would foster positive social interaction among users of space. Additionally, rigorous engineering methods have been employed to deter any climbing or damage to the sculptural elements on top of the artworks.