Prominent artist Lisa Reihana is commemorating Ngā Puhi soldiers from World War Two with a 20-tonne contemporary art installation called ‘ANZAC’ at the Auckland Viaduct. The art stands in front of the Viaduct Events Centre at eight metres high, showcasing over 180,000 shimmering plates that move in the wind.
Reihana says the tāniko pattern came from a kākāhu found at her marae, Pukerata.
“For me it has a lot of mamae in a way, because they are unknown soldiers. I don’t know who those people are that passed.”
She says knowledge of those tūpuna was lost over the years, as well as information on who made the kākāhu that inspired her art. She likens the shimmer of the red, black and silver coloured plates to troops that have returned to the stars.
“They do sparkle at night, and I think about all those people, not only ours, but all those people who have fought for us, for the people of the living. That’s beautiful,” she says.
A connection across the Tasman
The installation was originally made for the Sydney Art Fair in 2025, making a connection between Aotearoa and Australia through its name. The artwork now marks the beginning of the Aotearoa Art Fair Sculpture Trail and is one of 19 pieces from various artists. Reihana says the piece is shaped like a waharoa.
“To have the waharoa or a lintel, I always think of that as a cleansing and also a welcome at the same time. This will form the entrance to the art fair which opens here next weekend, so I feel like everyone’s blessed as they come in in a cultural way,” she says.
A visual tribute
She says that much like hearing the Last Post, the work is a visual way of thinking about those who gave their lives.
“These opportunities to remember why you’re so lucky to be here it’s very important,” she says. “The woman that made that korowai in the first place, I hope she’s looking down and sees something like this and that the story is the gift that keeps giving.”
The installation will be available to view until May 4.
