What if we told you, fellow Aucklander, that you are indeed an owner of art? An impressive collection, no less—grand, immersive and dotted all around your beloved Tāmaki Makaurau.

Commissioned by Auckland Transport, pockets of mahi toi (Māori art) are woven through the centre city. What starts as a functional project—say revamping infrastructure—becomes a powerful art project, where local Māori artists hailing from our 19 iwi add their touch to these spaces.

The result? A tapestry of layered, contemporary te ao Māori art that belongs to Auckland, for all of us to see, love and feel.  

Now go forth and lace up your trainers, nab yourself a soy cappuccino to go, because you’ve got a collection to peruse.

Here’s where to check out the impressive mahi toi in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Te Ara i Whiti, Light Path

Auckland Central 

It’s time to rediscover the modern icon that is the Pink Light Path, lovingly known as Te Ara i Whiti (2015). This time, with an ethereal edge. All thanks to yesteryear’s wisdom, no less. “There’s a lot of ancestral inspiration that is used to create the piece,” notes artist Arekatera (Katz) Maihi of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. 

Peep the entrance of Te Ara i Whiti—or the end of it, depending on which way you’re top-and-tailing your city adventure—and you’ll see just why. A cascade of Kōwhaiwhai welcomes you to the path, and onto your adventure. Overhead, laser-cut figures of kaitiaki watch over you. Both forms echo traditional carving styles of Ngāti Whātua—a staple in Katz Maihi’s work.

Be it a nightcap on Karangahape Road, a jaunt down to the harbour or an adventure beyond the ‘burbs, an interactive wave of LED lights sees you through to your next spot in pretty, pink style. For Katz Maihi, who believes the piece of art needs to reflect the history of the location, it’s an apt way to help the city flow and boldly mark a new chapter for a now-disused motorway off-ramp.  

Te Aronga 

Tāmaki Drive Cycleway, Ōrākei

Sea, skaters, seagulls and mahi toi—Auckland’s Tāmaki Drive is a real feast for the commuter’s eye. Here, you’ll find Graham Tipene’s (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Haua, Ngāti Manu) 2021 mahi toi dotted in, around and on the walkway. 

It’s all about looking inward by looking outward to your city. Six pou (viewing posts) with intricate patterns and pint-sized peep-holes put the city’s sights into focus: from Takaparawhau (Bastion Point), where the most southernmost Ngāti Whātua marae is located, to the oldest wooden lighthouse in Aotearoa, Te Toka-a-Kapetaua (Bean Rock). For Graham, embracing a unified New Zealand with design is one of the ways of expressing who we are, and a way of—quite literally—walking together. 

They say it’s about the journey, but the start of Te Aronga deserves some serious fanfare. A kōwhatu (stone) points towards the city, drawing attention to significant spots, which are just a stone’s throw away from Ngāti Whātua o Ōrākei, if you pardon the pun. Capping Te Piriti o Point Resolution—Point Resolution Bridge railings, you’ll find another nod to transport: Puhoro designs, which were once carved onto the font of waka for smooth sailings. Name a better nod to the city of sails, we’ll wait. Speaking of poetic, it’s worth noting that Graham’s first ever public art was also a walkway, back in 2005. We’re standing, or rather walking on the shoulders of giants here. 

Te Ngau o Horotiu

Auckland Downtown Ferry Terminal

Hold onto your hats, ice-cream scoops and sunnies, because it’s all about angles and vantage points when it comes to seeing Te Ngau o Horotiu by Reuben Kirkwood (the bite of Horotiu) in and around the Ferry Terminal. Look closely at the trimmings of the docks, and come face to face with the taniwha (that's a deep-water creature to our foreign friends,) who’s said to live in the gulley that once ran to the bottom of Queen Street.

Now here’s a fun fact to solidify your status as the culture buff of your next Waiheke or Half Moon Bay day drip: some of the pillars are carved with Kaitiaki figures to both welcome and toodle-loo passengers. Subtle enough for those in the know, bold enough to leave a lasting impression. You’re welcome, connoisseur. 

Te Wānanga, Kōrimurimu And Ngā Paiherenga Rōau me ngā Haumi

Downtown Auckland Waterfront

On the topic of waterside art in Tāmaki Makaurau, let us present to you an art-infused nook for fresh air. Or to nibble on your packed lunch. Or cultural immersion. Or a post-Bivacco-feast stroll. Or all of the above. 

Te Wānanga is the part-walkway, part-balcony structure that swoops between Downtown’s ferry terminal, a handful of pōhutukawa trees, and the nape of the Viaduct, Hilton area. Chances are you’re familiar with it if a long lunch at Commercial Bay or ferry trips are part of your Auckland programming. Lesser known, are the mussel beds and kelp forests below, that native species call home

Now don’t go looking too far into the Harbour (as pretty as it is) because you need to peep the nearby handrails. Seriously. Not your average joinery, crafted by Tessa Harris with Reuben Kirkwood, the Ngā Paiherenga Rōau me ngā Haumi—Handrail Binding and Haumi Joints feature carved panels joined by Haumi, a traditional fixing technique typically used to join together the length of a waka. Name a more wholesome picture of coming together, would you? 

Te Arawhiti o Tapuwae, Tapuwae Bridge

 Takapuna

Speaking of being—rather literally—supported by greatness, allow us to turn your attention to Te Arawhiti o Tapuwae Tapuwae Bridge. Our city’s volcanic fields serve as the inspiration in this 2019 piece by Reuben Kirkwood (Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Tainui). Lava-like tones are interwoven to show the clashing of Mataaoho and Mahuika and the distortion of whenua. Rest assured that’s as far as the idea of fracturing will go. The bridge’s name, Tapuwae, offers ideas of unison. Proof that sharing—whether that be a public thoroughfare, a bowl of noodles, or the scoop on where to get the best margs in town—is well and truly caring. 

Auckland Transport is on a mission to increase the artistic expression of Māori culture in Tāmaki Makaurau. What we've shown you is just the foyer of Auckland's public art gallery, there's so much more to see here. 

Editor’s note: This article is sponsored by Auckland Transport and proudly endorsed by The Urban List. To find out more about who we work with and why read our editorial policy here.

Image: Supplied.