It is a huge privilege to present Anton Forde's spectacular Ngā Manaaki. Composed of a formation of 44 individual pou carved from Australian hardwoods, Ngā Manaaki is a powerful site-specific installation, inspired by the land and philosophy of Brick Bay.
Carved over the space of 6 months, this artwork explores the concept of manaakitanga – a broad and expansive term encompassing the notions of support, care, protection, hospitality, respect and generosity.
Forde (Taranaki, Gaeltacht, Gaelic and English) explains:
“The whakapapa / genealogy of this work is grounded in the philosophy of Brick Bay…the Didsbury whānau, the whenua, the reality of sustainability and the connecting mahi toi are all relevant aspects when we link the ability to leave a legacy to our whānau and in turn the wider world."
In a powerful trans-Tasman partnership, Ngā Manaaki opens alongside Anton Forde’s Papare/Protection at Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi. Forde’s hope is that together these works create a symbolic offering of kotahitanga (unity) and whakamaru (protection) for the land and the ocean that connects us.