Kate Sheppard ribbons come to life OurAuckland story

This two-part kinetic sculpture represents the journey towards women's suffrage through the rhythmic, flowing movement of ribbons – a symbol commonly used by suffragettes in the 1800s. Commissioned by Auckland Council to celebrate the 125th anniversary of women's suffrage in Aotearoa, the work depicts one yellow and one purple twirled steel ribbon, extending up into the sky.

Each sculpture has an individual crank handle that can be manually turned to create graceful movements in the air. Because each ribbon is operated separately, this interactive work requires two people to work collaboratively to move both ribbons at the same time.

As well as being an artist, Jae Kang is a horticulturist based in the Franklin Local Board area. She took further inspiration for *Mahi Tahi* from the horticultural industry, where a diverse ethnic group of growers still work the land together in a hands-on way.

"The concept is of working hands-on and working together," explains Kang. "Even though there had been a movement for women's rights across northern Europe and the United States, it was New Zealand women who actually started working hands-on to achieve their suffrage rights for the first time in the world."

Mahi Tahi

Standing in a casual pose with hands on hips as though surveying the world around him, this life size bronze memorial to champion New Zealand rally car driver and Pukekohe legend can be found in Pukekohe's King Street.

George 'Possum' Bourne, New Zealand's most well-known and successful rally driver, was tragically killed when he was practising the circuit for the 2003 Race To The Sky event that was held annually in the Cardrona Valley from 1998 to 2007.  Race to The Sky director Grant Aitken originally commissioned the statue which stood on a stone plinth overlooking the circuit in the Pisa Range, Wanaka. A new home was found for the statue after the Race to The Sky events ended. It was felt that the sculpture would receive more exposure and admiration in Possum's hometown of Pukekohe than in the Cardrona Valley.

Wanaka based artist Minhal Al Halabi has produced a number of public commissions including life size memorial bronze sculptures of Les Harvey, the creator of Parnell Village and Queenstown's first European settler William Rees.

Possum Bourne

At Pukekohe Hill Reserve, Ngāti Tamaoho artist and master carver Ted Ngataki has carved a cloaked figure in tōtara. The striking figure sits within a series of nine carvings that were created by other artists under his guidance, bringing a wealth of unique stories to the site. Each piece honours Ngāti Tamaoho as mana whenua (tribe with historic and territorial rights over the land) and references the health and well-being of the environment and people who visit the area.

With expansive views to the south, the site was chosen for its historic significance to the local iwi and its popularity as a place to visit. Ngataki also designed the base structure to support the carvings, curving gently around each artwork. *Te Haerenga / The Journey* and the accompanying carvings were unveiled at a dawn ceremony on 16 July 2016.

Following in his uncle's footsteps, Ngataki started learning the craft of carving at 19 and was taught by several master carvers over the years. However, he doesn't refer to himself as a master carver and says it's a title given to him by others.

Te Haerenga, the Journey

This sculpture reflects artist Fred Graham’s ties to Waiuku. It is his homage to the community where he has lived, worked and raised his family for more than three decades. Waiuku has been his sanctuary, his artist’s workshop, where his art flourished.

Playfully spelling the letter 'W' for Waiuku, the sculpture incorporates four inner panels representing the Māori tribes whose names are associated with the area.  The four koru on the panels acknowledge the story of the brothers Tamakoe and Tamakae that is intertwined with the origin of the name Waiuku, and also Te Atairehia – the chieftainess after whom Ngāti Te Ata tribe was named.  Four outer panels acknowledge other cultural groups that have come from many parts of the world to establish themselves and make their lives in Waiuku.

Graham's artistic legacy extends beyond his local community – where he is admired not only as an artist but also for his personal qualities. He is known for his powerful artworks that elegantly blend Māori mythology and traditional forms with Western modernity. For many, his art symbolises an ideal of Aotearoa New Zealand, visually embodying the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. He has significantly shaped our nation's cultural landscape and has received numerous awards, including the Te Waka Toi Te Tohu Aroha mō Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu Award and the Arts Foundation Icon Award. He was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018.

*Waiuku* was a gift from the artist to honour his home township.

Jae Kang

Mahi Tahi

"Two brightly coloured ribbons make up this suffrage sculpture, encouraging people to work together to move the ribbons at the same time."

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Kate Sheppard ribbons come to life OurAuckland story

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