Mangōpare light installation at Britomart

Accompanied by a soundscape by Peter Hobbs, Mangōpare will be on display in Takutai Square from Friday 26 June to Thursday 16 July as part of the immersive ara toi/art trail, Tūhono.

The Mangōpare, or hammerhead shark, represents resilience, strength and determination. Referencing the saying Kaua e mate wheke, mate ururoa” — “Do not die like an octopus, die like a hammerhead shark,” the work speaks to endurance, courage and the importance of holding strong in the face of challenge.

For Arama, the work acknowledges the legacy of tūpuna who stood firmly against injustice and honours the pathways they created for future generations. Looking both backward and forward, Mangōpare reflects on the strength of those who came before, while also speaking to the opportunities and possibilities still ahead.

The patterns running along the sides of the sculpture draw inspiration from Puhoro, a form shaped by the movement of water. Traditionally associated with strength, agility and resilience, Puhoro is reimagined here through a calmer rhythm, where rippling forms spread outward and intersect with one another to create movement in a different way.

In this work, those ripples speak to lineage and the way actions carry forward through time. Each movement creates another, building a visual reflection of connection, continuity and becoming. Celebrating community, Mangōpare honours the past, reflects the present and inspires the future.

On display from 26 June to 16 July in Takutai Square as part of the Tūhono Trail.