The 29th edition of New Zealand Sculpture OnShore has officially opened, featuring more than 120 artworks on display across Auckland's scenic North Shore. The biennial exhibition, set against the spectacular backdrop of Waitematā Harbour at the clifftop Operetu Fort Takapuna Historic Reserve, showcases pieces ranging from small-scale garden sculptures to massive installations that required cranes and heavy machinery for placement.
This year's exhibition introduces several new features, including the Take a Seat Trail with whimsical seating installations along the paths and gardens, and the Garden Art Series and Gallery featuring smaller outdoor sculptures that visitors can purchase and take home immediately. A highlight of the event is the inaugural Women's Refuge New Zealand Sculpture of Strength (SOS) Award, won by Taranaki artist and engineer Daniel McKerrow for his commanding 10-foot-high sculpture "Whakaruruhau," which means shelter or protector in Māori. The striking piece depicts a woman cloaked in a copper kākahu (traditional garment) and is constructed from corten steel, stainless steel, and copper, priced at $119,000.
Visitors are actively encouraged to take selfies and record videos alongside Whakaruruhau and share them on social media to raise awareness about family violence and promote community action. All sculptures in the exhibition are available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting Women's Refuge New Zealand. Since the exhibition's inception in 1996 in a private Takapuna garden, and its relocation to Operetu Fort Takapuna in 2004 due to growing popularity, the event has raised more than $2.6 million for domestic violence victims.
The exhibition showcases remarkable diversity, featuring artists from Ahipara in the Far North to Arrowtown in the South Island, displaying an impressive range of artistic styles and interpretations. Notable works include Auckland artist Merle Bishop's "Sit with me – I brought these for you!" priced at $22,000, and Waikato artist Blake Harnett's "Balancing Act," commanding $105,000. Interactive elements add excitement to the visitor experience, particularly Whangārei artist Peter Brammer's climbable artwork "Thoughts of Freedom," featuring a staircase surrounded by symbolic corten steel wings reaching up to 16 feet high.
Several artists have created powerful cultural tributes, including Auckland artist Ngaroma Riley's "Kapahaka Queen," described as "a shout-out to all the aspiring kapa haka queens; the ones who live and breathe haka, who learn the words on the bus, sing the waiata in the shower, practice their pūkana [facial expression] in the mirror, and give their heart and soul to every performance." This plywood, LED poi, electrical wiring, and steel rod creation is priced at $7,500.
The exhibition features approximately a dozen sculptures by Māori artists, including works by three members of the Rotorua-based Kemp family. Master carver Joe Kemp presents "Hinemoana," guardian of the waterways surrounding Operetu, crafted from macrocarpa, rope, and andesite for $38,500. His partner Sherie Kemp exhibits "Ngā Whetū O Matariki," comprising nine sculptural rocks depicting the Matariki star constellation, while their son Teimah Kemp contributes the 5.2-foot-high "Hei Tiki," representing new life and carved from Oamaru stone.
South Island artists contribute nineteen works to this year's exhibition, including Dunedin's Bryn Jones with "The Wake," a 10-foot-long fiberglass whale, and Christchurch artist Justin Galligan's "The Absentee," featuring a group of 14.4-foot-high steel chairs, each surprisingly light enough to carry. Two artists have created towering elephant-themed works that invite viewers to confront rather than avoid difficult subjects. Clevedon artist Jorge Wright presents "Facing Our Elephants," a massive 8.2-foot-high and 11.5-foot-wide mother and baby elephant sculpture in corten steel, priced at $44,000.
The historic fort's underground tunnels will once again host the Auckland schools exhibition, featuring works by 20 primary, intermediate, and high schools. A standout collaborative project, "Ngā Mata Pūrakau: The Faces of Legends," involves Takapuna Grammar Year 9 students mentoring younger pupils from primary schools across the Devonport peninsula in mask-making. This provides one of the rare opportunities for the public to access the historic fort and tunnel system.
New Zealand Sculpture OnShore runs through Sunday, November 23, operating from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, with the exhibition closed on Mondays. The event continues to serve as both a premier showcase of New Zealand's sculptural talent and a significant fundraising effort for supporting victims of domestic violence throughout the country.
