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Striking NZICC artworks unveiled and what's next for public art

News story
Tuesday 5 Jun 2018

Two enormous and striking art works by New Zealand artists Sara Hughes and Peata Larkin will cover 5,760sqm of wall space at the New Zealand International Convention Centre when it opens next year.

Sara Hughes’ glass artwork, made of 550 coloured panels that suggest an overhead forest canopy, will be installed from later this year. Peata Larkin’s terracotta work, made using 13,500 tiles, aims to soften and add movement and life to a 105m long laneway wall.

The works will add to the city centre environment with their references to the natural environment and indigenous inspiration from traditional Maori weaving and native flora. They’ll also complement the night time city scape with LED RGB lighting within the works allowing them to change colour in line with the nearby Sky Tower.

“We feel Sara and Peata have absolutely achieved our objective of presenting the building and its surrounds as a unique experience of New Zealand to our local and international visitors." Callum Mallet, NZICC General Manager

NZICC: The Art in our Architecture

These newly announced NZICC art works are among at least 11 public art works that are in the works for the city centre.

The other planned artworks that we expect to see rolled out in coming years are:

  • A work being installed in O'Connell Street in the next month - Light Weight ‘O’ by Catherine Griffiths
  • A proposed work in the Mayoral Drive underpass in Myers Park
  • A proposed work in Lower Queen Street outside the Britomart Station
  • Several threshold commissions involving mana whenua at Commercial Bay
  • Proposed integrated and standalone work within the City Rail Link
  • Three major planned works for Wynyard Quarter

The works will be delivered in keeping with the aspirations of the recently developed City Centre Public Art Plan which recognises the transformative value that public art has for city landscape. We're major fans of enriching our city centre through this public art programme and are looking forward to the seeing these artworks realised.

  • NZICC art works - Sara Hughes and Peata Larkin. Still from video.