New Year, New Artwork

CRL is committed to being not only the largest transport infrastructure project but also the country’s largest art project. This month, the Mt Eden Station team installed three striking new artworks across the site precinct.

Two of the art pieces have been installed on the hoardings in Basque Park, Eden Terrace, from artists Deborah Crowe and Ashleigh Taupaki.

Utility works in Basque Park began in October last year as part of the Mt Eden Station upgrade for the project. The small but essential work is for a pipe diversion, with the site taking up about one quarter of the park secured inside construction hoardings.

Look See – Deborah Crowe

Look See is a visual response to observing Basque Park and its surroundings. Composited from hundreds of images, it weaves together outlooks from all around the park. This work is designed to reflect and delight in noticing details when looking up, looking down, standing high on the ridge, or lying low in the grass. Look See acknowledges renowned landscape architect Ted Smyth’s design themes and the positive impact spending time looking, seeing and being in green space has on wellbeing, placemaking, and creating an enriched experience of space. Look See encourages a curious eye.

Pūtoto and Parawhenuamea - Ashleigh Taupaki

This work is based on the pūrākau (myth) and the love story of Pūtoto (God of magma) and Parawhenuamea (Goddess of water that comes from the ground) which resulted in the creation of many volcanic rocks, including onewa (basalt). The aroha (love) in these stories is central to understanding the combination of material elements that humanity has used for advancement and discovery. These can be seen through the windows of the hoardings as construction workers work to engineer a better Tāmaki Makaurau underground.

Over on the Mt Eden construction site, Oliver Cain’s ‘Passing through Eden’ has been installed on the silos, and is visible from Shaddock St.

Passing through Eden – Oliver Cain

Passing through Eden provides a sense of place to an area that has been affected by the project. The work reflects the Link Alliance’s creative principles and themes and bridges the gap between the public/community and the project. It adds vibrancy and attractiveness to the surrounding area during this time of change, and transforms the silos into a storytelling experience, connecting audiences with engaging narratives that reflect the place and community.