Iconic artwork finds new home

The colourful carvings were removed from their former location in the City Focus as part of the refresh of the inner city and needed a new home that would complement their significance to Rotorua.

The two panels are visible from Te Ngae Road.

After consultation with the artists who created them, Manahi Skerrett and Erin Tioke, and with local iwi, it was decided to relocate them to the airport. The carvings now create a waharoa (gateway) for people both arriving at and departing from Rotorua.

Matata-based artist Erin Tioke says he is very pleased the carvings are being displayed again.

We came for a drive to Rotorua before the panels were installed and saw where the carvings were going to go. It's awesome that they are right next to the main road where everyone will see them.

Rotorua Airport chief executive Nicole Brewer says the airport welcomed the opportunity to have the sculptures on site.

These sculptures are an iconic piece of artwork for the Rotorua community and the stories that these carvings depict directly relate to the airport's corner of the lake with Mokoia Island in our sights.

We are a community airport so it's only fitting that these sculptures are erected on-site [at the airport].