Remembering a slice of Auckland's history, this building corner juts out of a wall of the Durham Street West underpass.  The protruding facade is a replica of an 1880s building that was located in nearby Shortland Street and is there to remind us of the city's heritage that has been demolished to make way for steel and glass towers.

*Lane Change* was artist John Radford's first public sculpture commission.  "It's sitting there in what I call an inhuman area of town.  The underpass doesn't get any direct skylight; it is just surrounded by the stale smell of waste and jumbo bins full of food scraps… I want people to question why the work is there, and respond to it," the artist told the *New Zealand Herald* in 1996.

Across the lane is his mural [*…that was then, and that was then…*](/artworks/3208) that also explores themes of buildings past.  Both artworks were funded by a donation by a property development company responsible for a large development in the area at the time, part of Auckland City Council's incentive scheme for the creation of public art and public spaces by private companies.

Lane Change

Words and phrases overlap and intersect to represent the passage of time in this large mural on the side of the Durham Lane underpass. The words are drawn Auckland's history and include the names of pa sites, natural features, and local businesses that have been built over and around in the landscape of Auckland. 'His Majesty's', 'Dunblain Café', and 'The Metropolitan' reference historic buildings that were pulled down in the property boom of the 1980s.

The mural was funded by the Chase Corporation, property developers who were responsible for the nearby Finance Plaza development and carpark across Durham Lane. The sponsorship was a result of Auckland City Council's incentive scheme for the creation of public art and public spaces by private companies.

In 2010 a mystery contractor painted over the mural. The artist, John Radford, restored the work leaving some of the grey paint to add to the evolution and meaning of the artwork. "I think it adds to the look of the work. There are now more traces of layers on the wall," the artist told *The Aucklander*.

…that was then, and that was then…

Standing larger than life, feet wide apart and hands thrust into his greatcoat pockets *Lord Freyberg* confidently overlooks his namesake, Freyberg Place, from the top of the steps. This statue is a memorial to Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Cyril Freyberg (1889-1963), Commander of the New Zealand Division in World War II and Governor-General of New Zealand 1945-1952.

Artist, Anthony Stones, was born in England and emigrated to New Zealand when he was 18. He is known for his statuary of significant historical figures which includes Jean Batten at the Auckland International Airport and Sir Peter Fraser outside the Old Government Building in Wellington.

This memorial was donated to the City of Auckland by returned servicemen in 1980.

Lord Freyberg

*Bonus Play* locates itself in the contested public spaces of inner city Tāmaki Mākaurau / Auckland. In particular, Auckland Council’s 'bonus floor' scheme which, since the 1970s, has encouraged private developers to increase the floor space of high-rise buildings by providing public access or a 'public benefit' as a result of the changed built-up environment. They usually take the form of pedestrian access-ways through buildings, escalators, widened footpaths, and privately-owned artworks accessible to the general public. This work acknowledges and explores these public spaces and benefits and offers an alternative and playful map that at times sits alongside, intersects, and even overlays existing routes, paths and junctures of inner city Tāmaki Makaurau.

Based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Layne Waerea (Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Kahungunu, Pākehā) is an artist whose practice includes carrying out performance art interventions that question and challenge social and legal behaviours in the public sphere. These interventions often respond to current socio-legal, cultural-political news, a significant anniversary or seasonal event.

*Bonus Play* was part of *Wild Wild Life* commissioned by Auckland Council and curated by Mark Williams, director of CIRCUIT Artist Moving Image. *Wild Wild Life* was originally presented by Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival 2024 and installed at a series of site-specific locations across the inner city.

By Layne Waerea with Joe Jowitt, Ziggy Lever, Deborah Rundle and Charlie Stringer.

John Radford

Lane Change

"Lost architecture looms out of the wall in this three-dimensional mural in Central Auckland."

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