Introducing Ngā Manaaki

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.

Sculptors recognised as Arts Laureates

Congratulations to sculptors Filipe Tohi and Bob Jahnke who have both been recognised as 2023 Laureates by the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi.

Established in 2000, the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate Awards celebrate and empower New Zealand’s most outstanding artists across a vast range of disciplines. Each Laureate is recognised for their outstanding practice as well as their significant impact.

Filipe Tohi's Aotea (The White Cloud) hovers over the lake on the Brick Bay Sculpture Trail and casts a beautiful reflection on the water's surface. Here he adapts the traditional Tongan binding method of haukafa into a 3-dimensional sculptural form.

Folly team's colourful award win!

Congratulations to Voice of the Kōkōhau team members Chris Gandhi, Mathew Green, William Creighton and Seth Trocio for winning the Landscape category in the 2023 Resene Total Colour Awards! Impressively, the colour choice that clinched the award was selected by William Creighton, who is colour blind.

The team designed and built Te Reo o te Hau (The Voice of the Kōkōhau) at Brick Bay after winning the Folly competition last year. It provides an impressive entrance to Brick Bay and is a highlight on the sculpture trail walk.

The Folly competition is dedicated to recognising architectural talent and pushing the boundaries of design, so we are thrilled to have the team and the competition recognised in this way.

Folly 2024: Top 5 finalists revealed!

The top five entries for Folly 2024 have been announced! Click here to read the review of the five fantastic finalists, written by deputy editor of Architecture New Zealand Amanda Harkness.
Harkness writes:
"The Brick Bay Folly programme presents students and graduates of architecture and design with a unique opportunity – to examine architectural ideas at a handmade scale while also encapsulating the zeitgeist of the time."

The winning entry will be constructed at Brick Bay next year and all will be revealed in May. Learn more about the Folly competition.

Arorangi and Porotaka

We're excited to announce a new double installation on the ever-evolving Brick Bay Sculpture Trail.

We are thrilled to present our first collaboration with artist Anton Forde. As a sculptor specialised in carving kāmaka (an ancient Māori term for stone or rock), Forde (Taranaki, Gaeltacht, Gaelic, English), has a deep appreciation for the earth, a boundless curiosity about the subterranean layers beneath its surface and a fascination for the histories that kāmaka can tell.

In this site-specific installation specifically for Brick Bay, Forde’s sculptures Arorangi - Upwards, Heavenwards and Porotaka - Circular continue his exploration of ancient stone-based tools for carving, building, fishing, weaving, weaponry and embellishment.