Star (Mound). Headland Sculpture on the Gulf 2015

For Headlands Sculpture on the Gulf 2015 I am making a platform based on the structural and conceptual architecture of the star mounds found on the island of Savaii. These ancient mounds are made of earth and stone and are found in the Samoa Islands and other islands in the Pacific.

The mounds in Savaii were constructed 900 years ago at the time of Tongan occupation. There are over 300 mounds recorded and archaeologists suspect there are many more covered in ferns and "mile a minute" weed yet to be discovered. The carbon dating indicates the oldest mounds tested so far were constructed between 700 AD, to 1100 AD, 900 years ago. These dates are also around the time of the Tongan occupation.

In contemporary Samoa plantation workers state that the mounds were used for the chiefly sport of Pigeon-catching. The pigeon was known to be the representation of a number of Samoan mythological entities. Several studies in social anthropology and archaeology have produced rich and productive theories of ritual and metaphor that can be used in understanding myth, religion, and metaphor. Samoan mythology and cultural expressions reference the ritual of pigeon-catching (a chieftain sport) on the mound and magical rituals to cure illnesses.

I'm interested in the ideas associated with manmade physical constructs or architectural monuments in the landscape and the relationships between people and these constructions within the physical and spiritual realm.

I have employed the expertise of Tongan Stonemason Vasini Fisilau and his crew to construct from my drawings the star mound. The rays or projections of the design are based on the Crux constellation commonly known as the Southern Cross. Mounds with five projections in Samoa are believed to have a relationship with the stars and planets

The star mounds dimensions are 10m x 5m with a depth of 250mm, the public are encouraged to walk and sit on the surface, and it will be built out of the local stone Stoney Gold which is quarried on Waiheke Island.

I will work alongside Vasini and his crew (as much as Tongan/Samoan cultural etiquette will allow for a female) to learn the laws and ways of stone culture from a Tongan perspective. The process of selecting the stones and building the star mound follows a strict cultural code where I will switch from the artist, to the student and back again several times throughout this unique experience.

Waiheke Island is a perfect space/place and gives the work some context in that it complements the historical underpinnings of my research and furthers my understanding of sacred spaces in a contemporary context. Star (Mound), is a platform where one can walk, sit or lay, contemplate, reflect and meditate and a place if you feel inclined to re-connect with ones spiritual self and the universe.

I invite you to join me on this unique journey and support the making of this artwork for all to share. I will keep you updated and included in the process with regular updates including video and photographs.