‘Te Kakano’ Folly opens as Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Art Gallery takes shape

Date: Friday 21 October 2016
Location: Whangarei Town Basin
Te Kākano Dawn Ceremony (all welcome) 5:00 am
Te Kākano Official Opening Ceremony (all welcome) 3.30pm

Whangarei’s dynamic new attraction, the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Art Gallery takes its first step towards reality with the opening of its ‘folly’ Te Kakano (the seed) next month.

A stand-alone sculpture in the shape of a koru, Te Kakano was a pre-requirement of the Hundertwasser Foundation in Vienna, so builders and artists could adapt and build in Friedensreich Hundertwassers unique style.

Local tiler Bruce Hancock was tasked with the delicate task of mosaic tiling. "This job has meant I have had to unlearn everything about tiling. At first I was a bit unsure but as I got into the rhythm and flow of the ‘no straight lines’ idea, I started to relax and this made for a much better result and a very enjoyable experience."

Te Kakano will be officially opened by local MP Shane Reti on Friday October 21 with a Dawn Service and unveiling, followed by an opening ceremony that afternoon featuring the Whangarei Primary School Kapa Haka Group and Kamo Intermediate Choir.

“Completing the Te Kakano build is a significant milestone towards realising the Hundertwasser Art Centre project,” says Barry Trass: Co-Chair of Prosper Northland Trust which drives the fundraising for the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Wairau Maori Art Gallery. “Eventually, the Hundertwasser architecture, alongside the Wairau Maori Art Gallery will establish Whangarei as a centre with a major art attraction making this a very exciting development for the city.”

Closer now to achieving the required $16.25 million funding and $2 million underwrite the vibrant project through the completion of Te Kakano will be a tangible asset to Whangarei.

The Trust backed the project because they quickly realised this architectural structure will bring major cultural and economic benefits to the region.

It is also being supported by well-known New Zealanders Sir Michael Hill, Sir Ron Carter and Sir Bob Harvey who have all officially put their time and effort into the project and are assisting the team to raise funds and recognition.

With Te Kakano now here the people and city of Whangarei will gain a true sense that the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Art Gallery is one step closer to becoming a certainty.

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Background information:

Construction

The construction of Te Kakano is the essential rst step in the construction of the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Art Gallery (HAC) complex and is a requirement of the Hundertwasser Foundation in Vienna. Its purpose is giving builders and artists the opportunity to adapt their skills to the specic nishes required to build in Hundertwasser’s style.

Te Kakano is a permanent public amenity designed by local rm HB Architecture. It is anticipated that it will become a tourist attraction in its own right and an exciting sample of what is to come with the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Art Gallery (HAC). Fundraising for the main building is underway, with $16.25 million needed before construction can be started in mid 2017. Currently $11.1 million is raised.

Hundertwasser

Friedensreich Hundertwasser was one of the most celebrated artists to come out of Europe in the 20th Century. He was acclaimed for his work with colour and mosaics, and became especially famed for his conversions of industrial buildings. Hundertwasser spent most of the last 30 years of his life living and working in Northland and became a New Zealand citizen.

In 1993 Hundertwasser was invited to select a building in Whangarei which would be suitable for one of his world famous architectural transformations.

The Centre will feature 50+ pieces of art from Hundertwasser rotating with the Kunsthaus Wien, Vienna (the only other gallery of this nature).

The Wairau Maori Art Gallery

From its inception, the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Art Gallery was seen as a vehicle to enrich mutual understanding between Maori and Pakeha through the medium of contemporary Art.

The Wairau Maori Art Gallery will be the world’s first curated gallery dedicated solely to Contemporary Maori Art. and is proudly supported by Toi Iho as the registered and globally recognised trademark of quality and authenticity of Maori art and artists.

MAORI Artworks will come from the country’s leading collections including Te Papa TONGAREWA, Auckland Art Gallery TOI O TAMAKI and Whangarei Art Museum as well as artist’s and private collections. It is planned that exhibitions will rotate on a lively 3 monthly schedule.

Positive Impact - Tourism

The Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Maori Art Gallery (HAC) provides Whangarei with a unique opportunity to establish a nationally and internationally recognised cultural facility and tourist attraction.

Visitor numbers for the Whangarei HAC are estimated at 168,000 per annum (Northland Inc Economic Impact Analysis). The cruise ship industry has stated that they would seriously consider adding a Ruakaka/Marsden stop to their New Zealand itineraries if the Whangarei HAC was built.

The HAC will encourage visitors to stay longer and improve seasonality for the region, ultimately increase tourism spending.

Other cultural Tourism offers for Northland:

Hihiaua Cultural Centre | Waitangi National Museum |Manea - Footprints of Kupe | The Pou Trail (under the Twin Coast Discovery revitalisation project) | future Ngati Kuri plans for Cape Reinga | Matakohe Kauri Museum | IDNZ Kaurinui and HAC tours | Te Ahu

Local Community

The community-led organisation Prosper Northland Trust (PNT) took the lead in realising the Hundertwasser Wairau Maori Art Centre in Whangarei, which will bring major cultural and economic benefits to the region.

Evidence of local engagement with the HAC project is highly visible throughout the

Whangarei district. From the volunteer-run Hundertwasser Headquarters, coloured bollards and decorated trees in the CBD through to projects and artworks created by schools across the region. Ongoing donations of time and money from individuals, families and local business reflect the high level of community support and anticipation for the project.

Facebook and the ‘yeswhangarei’ website celebrate the high number of local events and activities to drive donations and raise increased awareness and support.

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