Muriwai Commemorative Sculpture

In the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle, the Muriwai community lost a total of 68 homes. That is 68 houses, deemed too unsafe for the community to return to. That’s 68 houses to be deconstructed or removed. For many of those affected, it has meant leaving the place they have lived, loved and called home. The impact that this has had on a tight-knit community is enormous.

We have been working with renowned New Zealand artist Jeff Thomson to commission a sculpture that will transform materials from Muriwai’s Category 3 homes into a permanent art installation.

This will be a place for Muriwai where locals or visitors can come to reflect and remember the generosity of first responders, the community, aid organisations, officials and the wider public during the devastating event itself and in the weeks and months that followed.  

This is a community-led project in collaboration with artist Jeff Thomson, initiated and supported by passionate Muriwai locals, Muriwai Arts, the Rodney Local Board and Auckland Council Regional Parks, who want to acknowledge the empathy, generosity, and courageous spirit of those directly and indirectly impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle. 

Jeff Thomson is a renowned New Zealand artist known for his sculptural works fabricated from corrugated iron and salvaged materials - think of his large elephant that welcomes visitors to Auckland Zoo. Jeff’s proximity and connection to Muriwai and his experience in making public sculptures make him the obvious choice for this project.

Our aim is to raise 50% of our funds through Boosted to get us well on our way to seeing this public artwork become a reality. Your tax-deductible donation will go towards paying for artist Jeff Thomson's sculptural talents and any additional materials required to bring the sculptural structures together.

Working with Muriwai’s community and local artists, Jeff will transform materials from Muriwai’s Category 3 homes into a permanent art installation for all to enjoy. Located in the heart of Muriwai at the corner of Motutara and Waitea Roads, the installation will consist of benches and columns up to 4m high made from recovered roofing, concrete, domestic fittings, tiles, bricks and more from these deconstructed Muriwai homes. Jeff will incorporate the outcomes of community art initiatives from the weeks following the Cyclone, such as Muriwai "Love Letters" and Mette Hay’s "Muriwai Voices", as well as tile mosaics created in community art workshops that will run throughout the month of November.

Cyclone Gabrielle was life-changing for so many. Through this artwork, as a community, we want to celebrate and acknowledge humanity's incredibly generous and courageous spirit that brings light to a dark time.

Boosted is an all-or-nothing campaign, so the pressure to succeed is high and we need your help. Please donate to help bring the Muriwai Commemorative Public Artwork to life. Remember, it's tax-deductible! Whatever you can afford, every little bit helps. Thank you from all of us.