Lost & Found

Eight carved boulders, in three groups, set along south Federal Street, Auckland Central. Like moments frozen in time, sculpted shapes emerge from the undressed stone: a pair of sneakers, sunglasses, a down jacket, gloves and a hat. Artist Joe Sheehan carved the boulders as a reflection of life on Federal Street. The once quiet cul-de-sac now bustles with passing commuters, residents, workers and the occasional jogger.

Auckland Council invited Sheehan to create a series of works integrated into the fabric of the street as part of the regeneration of the south end of Federal Street. The boulders echo the stone pavement, but their ancient age reminds us of the primordial, the land before the city, the passing of time.

Sheehan says: “The belongings are a kind of figurative work that extends through the street. The two gloves are at each end and hold the space, the jacket lies under St Matthew’s as an echo of the figure on the cross, the shoes are found at the door of the Auckland City Mission – Te Tāpui Atawhai. Each part interacts with different aspects of the street”.

The boulders came from sites across Aotearoa – a metaphor for the residents of Federal Street and the city beyond. They weigh between one and four tonnes. Sheehan began shaping the stone with a two-metre saw but finished the details with a one-millimetre diamond drill. He also designed the street lighting, “the giant desk lamps”, to draw our attention to the carved objects, while leaving most of the stone in darkness.