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News | 30 April 2021
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Friday Five : Arty sites to spot on our waterfront

You can’t beat Pōneke on a good day, and this weekend is forecast to be bright and sunny. If you’re making the most of this Autumnal season and taking a stroll along Wellington’s waterfront there’s more to see than just the water… here’s our top five things to keep an eye out for.

Image of people walking along the waterfront

Sonicity  Sculpture in Sound

You can experience Sculpture in Sound any time of day or nightIts location-aware, meaning it responds to the geolocation of the user. Using a smartphone and set of headphones, anyone can immerse themselves in a series of real-world soundscapes situated across the city

Download the Sculpture in Sound app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store or visit the Sonicity website to find out more at Sculpture in Sound — Sonicity

Tangled art series

Yolunda Hickman's work, Signal Forest, features outline-style shapes tracing outlines of animals, plants, transportation, technology, and cultural items and can be found just outside of Te Papa Wellington Sculpture Trust | News

Image of Len Lye's Water Whirler operating in the evening

The Water Whirler 

The water whirler can be found on the pier off Frank Kitts Park. The sculpture ‘plays’ in 10 minute cycles and only operates in winds of less than 20 knots. It was designed by Len Lye – a New Zealand born kinetic sculptor, artist, writer and filmmaker. More information about the work can be found here: www.sculpture.org.nz/the-sculptures/water-whirler

Wellington Writers Walk 

The Wellington Writers Walk is made up of a series of 23 quotations from New Zealand writers, including poets, novelists, and playwrights. The quotations can be found along the waterfront, from Kumutoto stream to Oriental Bay, in the form of concrete plaques or inlaid metal text on wooden benchmarks. See if you can find them all, or check out this guide to help discover them all Wellington Writers Walk - Wikipedia

Take the City to Sea bridge

Connecting Te Ngākau Civic Square to the waterfrontthe City to Sea bridge was designed by Rewi Thompson, John Grey, and Māori artist Paratene Matchitt, and symbolises the origin story of Wellington Harbour. https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/41983/city-to-sea-bridge-sculptures  

Once at the waterfront, go see Max Patté's iconic two-metre cast-iron statue ‘Solace in the Wind’, depicting a naked man with his arms flung back behind him facing out towards the elements of Wellington’s harbour. https://www.maxpatte.com/about-solace-in-the-wind