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Dawn breaks over new public art work

Font Public Art Trust to reveal 7m high contemporary artwork for Tauranga city.

A significant contemporary public artwork will be revealed at a dawn ceremony in Tauranga’s Red Square on Friday 15th November. 

The sculpture, commissioned by the Font public art trust and created by Peata Larkin, [Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Tūwharetoa] stands 7m high and reflects the dynamic cultural heritage of the Bay of Plenty.

With its orientation in line with the rising sun, and a design which encourages people to walk through and around it, casting patterns that change with the hour, the sculpture is sure to become a social media draw card in the heart of Tauranga’s rejuvenated city centre.

An unveiling ceremony – featuring mana whenua, funders, and some of Tauranga’s newly-elected civic leaders – will take place in Red Square, where Spring Street meets Devonport Road, on Friday 15th November at dawn.

The event is open to the public. Local business owner and Font co-chair, Stephen Hahn, encouraged the community to attend the launch, engage with the artwork, and celebrate the first step in Font’s ambitious plan to build a suite of public contemporary art in Tauranga.

Larkin’s work draws inspiration from Māori imagery and experience, and the natural beauty of New Zealand. Through a competitive process, Larkin’s commission was selected by the Font curatorial advisory panel, made up of Karl Chitham, Serena Bentley, and Julie Paama-Pengelly.  

Larkin said: “I think we live in a more united era compared to decades past and we need to keep growing, as our strength is in numbers and in acceptance. The growth of Toi Māori, traditional and contemporary, in urban environments creates spaces of strength and unity in our communities and I am humbled to be a part of this kaupapa.” 

Font’s Ngāi Tamarāwaho trustee Ngairo Eruera said, “The hapū is excited at the prospect of a modern public art installation that captures the dynamism and diversity of the Tauranga community, while being rooted in its deeper histories and environmental relationships.”

Tauranga City Council’s “The Future of Public Art, A Public Art Framework” revealed six out of 10 Bay of Plenty residents wanted the region to be recognised as a place that supports the arts. Furthermore, 76% of Tauranga residents had recently attended or participated in the arts, and 60% of Tauranga residents recognised that the arts contribute positively to the local economy.

Font co-chair Vanessa Hamm said the trust was established in 2023 with a focus on helping nourish creative spirit in our arts community and inspiring a love of all things creative in younger generations. “We have a ten year plan, focused in the city centre. This first piece and future artworks will help make Tauranga a more interesting, vibrant, and invigorating place to live and visit,” Vanessa said.

“We are just a group of keen locals who wanted to see contemporary public art in our city and we’ve been lucky enough to time our run with the major revitalisation taking place in Tauranga’s city centre. 

“I am beyond proud of our team – we have poured hundreds of volunteer hours into this mahi and have commissioned, fundraised for, and now delivered this significant work of art to the community. And we’re only just getting started.”