On the 4th of November, early risers at Hobsonville Point may have spied Te Kanohi o Te Manu (The Eye of the Bird) – the 10m high corten steel sculpture of a pied shag, settling into her nest at Harrier Point Park.
Te Kanohi o Te Manu stands sentry above Catalina Bay at around three storeys high, greeting visitors who arrive to Hobsonville Point by water. Children will be able to climb up to the shag’s head for a stunning view of the harbour through its eyes – then slide down the bird’s back and tail to the ground.
In 2010 Philipp Meier, the creator of Te Kanohi o Te Manu, brought to life the ‘forest floor’ playground at Hobsonville Point Park. That sculptural playground and Te Kanohi o Te Manu have two things in common – New Zealand native flora and fauna, and a distinctive playfulness around scale.
Installation of the pied shag has taken weeks, as each part of the sculpture had to be inspected and secured in place. Though it’s now assembled, it will remain closed to the public while a few final steps are taken to ensure it meets all safety requirements. Be sure to follow us on Facebook to be the first to hear when it opens later this month.
