Sēmisi (right) pictured in front of the newly-erected sculpture, with Christchurch local Peter Sharp
Sēmisi Fetokai Potauaine, a lecturer in the School of Architecture, was in Christchurch last week for the launch of his striking, sixteen-metre tall VAKA ‘A HINA which towers over Rauora Park in Christchurch’s East Frame.
Commissioned by SCAPE Public Art as part of SCAPE Season 2019, it’s the first time a Pasifika artwork of this scale has been installed in New Zealand. It is the 15th permanent public artwork produced by SCAPE Public Art for the city.
The installation of the artwork started last Monday when the sculpture was erected onto a massive foundation containing the equivalent of 40 baths of concrete, and two tonnes of re-inforcement – about the same mass as a family car. During the week, testing was carried out on the sculpture’s eight lighting programmes that can be tailored for specific events.
VAKA ‘A HINA is comparable in scale to New Zealand’s largest public sculpture Fanfare (2014/15), by Neil Dawson, located on the Northern approach to Christchurch, and Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North – both 20 metres tall.
SCAPE Public Art Executive Director Deborah McCormick says the sculpture combines Pasifika culture with striking geometry, embodying the unique qualities of all those who make up the Christchurch community.
VAKA ‘A HINA being installed in Christchurch
“It’s not the first time SCAPE has worked with the Pasifika community but, given the scale of this sculpture, it really is next level – it’s a big gesture and a real milestone for this community.
“VAKA ‘A HINA will have a resolute, continuous presence during day and night, acting as a visual cue of our city’s cultural diversity. It will be a new landmark for Christchurch and a gift that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our many partners.”
VAKA ‘A HINA
Sēmisi says the design of VAKA ‘A HINA is based on the essence of symmetry, beauty and harmony and draws on his Tongan roots.
“The design is derived from the Tongan folklore story of the goddess Hina and her journey to the moon in a vaka (vessel) and the shape is an allusion to a lightning strike. Folklore is commonly woven into story telling throughout the Pacific, including Aotearoa.
I hope Vaka ‘A Hina will become a new homing beacon for the city – due to its height it will be visible from afar,” added Sēmisi.
Sēmisi, who was born and raised in Tonga, works as a multi-media artist across a number of disciplines, including architecture, sculpture, tattooing, painting, weaving and computer graphic designing.
He is also a published writer in Architecture and related arts, and runs his own practice, collaborating with friends and other practices on projects. Here’s the profile we did on Sēmisi back in May. And here’s Sēmisi talking about his artwork on Breakfast last Friday morning (you’ll first need to sign up for TVNZ On Demand. His piece comes in at 2:25:55).