Areta Wilkinson: Te Mauri o Te Puna

With flowing shapes that suggest a pool of sparkling water surrounded by thriving flora and fauna, Te Mauri o te Puna is a dynamic commission by Areta Wilkinson (Kāi Tahu) for the forecourt of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. Mauri is the unique vital essence contained within every life form or entity, and Wilkinson’s sculpture connects with the nourishing spring referenced in Te Puna o Waiwhetū, the name of the Gallery building. Wilkinson says:

In te ao Māori, a puna of water also represents spiritual and physical connections between the atua celebrated in Kāi Tahu creation narratives and life on earth. Cultural knowledge, such as maintenance and use of resources, grows around a healthy water source. The Gallery is another source, sustaining artistic knowledge and expressing cultural identity and ideas. A thriving puna is a source of sustenance and wellbeing.

The dynamic linear form of Wilkinson’s work also pays homage to her own toi Māori history, in relationship to the ancestral rock art of Te Waipounamu South Island.

Wilkinson is an acclaimed Aotearoa New Zealand artist based in Oxford, Waitaha Canterbury, whose work shifts fluidly between adornment, sculpture and installation. She was commissioned by the Gallery to create this site-specific work that will be displayed for the next five years.