Ole Alia

With a distinctly Pacific shape and colour, the bright red form of this artwork makes a striking statement outside the Massey Library and Leisure Centre. Ole Alia symbolises the double-hulled waka (canoe) of early Polynesia, its presence representing the unity and strength of peace and love. The carved frangipani design, which is typically found on Pacific Island tapa (barkcloth), symbolises the strength of women as maternal leaders and supporters within Pacific communities.

Standing at a little more than three metres in height, the carved macrocarpa sculpture by Samoan-born and Auckland-based multimedia artist Fatu Feu'u features a yellow frangipani at its centre. This stylised design has become synonymous with Pacific art after Feu'u introduced the flower into his practice in the late 1980s. The artist takes inspiration from traditional art forms and weaves in contemporary techniques, while sharing the knowledge of fa'a Samoa – the Samoan way of life and spirituality.