Wildlife Guardian (statue sponsor): Green Sage Ventures
Location: Lylo Hotel Queenstown
About the Artist: Aroha Novak (Ngāi Te rangi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa) is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Ōtepoti Dunedin, New Zealand. Novak holds an MFA from Dunedin School of Art, majoring in Installation art and has exhibited nationally throughout New Zealand at public institutions, public parks and project spaces. Her work is often research based, drawing out indigenous and local histories that have been forgotten or suppressed. She frequently works outside of traditional gallery spaces collaborating with other artists, experts and communities to expand knowledge systems. Her art practise encompasses mural painting, installation, sculpture, photography, design, writing and curating.
About the Art in Action Hoiho
This Hoiho is an indigenous species from Aotearoa who is trying to save his whānau. He wears a colourful korowai, traditional tohu and a taonga from the ocean.
He has the kupu, ‘Hoki Whenua Mai’ on his chest, a powerful sentiment to humans to give him and his whānau their space back so they can survive and thrive once again. This artwork is taken from the perspective of the Hoiho and their plight that humans have created for them. By engaging with indigenous species, we inevitably engage with the indigenous land, it’s people and values. My work seeks to acknowledge and connect hoiho, whenua and tangata within this project, and weaves together the trusts statement ‘ Hikoi o te Taoka’.
