Katrina Thomson and Ross Sinclair
Framed by a rocky firmament, a steel star-scape at the Ross Creek Reservoir mirrors southern constellations.
All From Water imagines stars falling from the heavens to settle onto the face of the historic Ross Creek earth dam. Artists Katrina Thomson and Ross Sinclair used the reflection of the night sky in the reservoir as inspiration for their sculptural work.
“Stars and the cosmos provide a great sense of awe and wonder, they remind us of the beauty of our own make-up, and of our own reflection in the vastness. We hope the composition will look is as if the stars have been showered down onto the landscape, embedding into the rocks, symbolising the world above, and the reflected world below”.
The artists worked closely with Victoria Campbell (Kāti Irakehu, Kāi Tahu), whose knowledge of mātauraka Māori and astronomy has helped to ensure that the star-scape encompasses mana whenua cosmologies and narratives of place.
The artwork comprises 77 steel, powder-coated stars placed across the rocky slope of the dam face to represent southern constellations, including Matariki (Pleiades), Te Puka/Te Pae Mahutoka (the Southern Cross), and Te Toki A Maui (Orion). Plinths bearing single stars are installed by paths so that members of the public can see and touch them and star maps are provided so that specific constellations can be identified.
The sculptural installation was the final stage of the 3-year project to strengthen the dam and is the pilot project for the DCC Art and Creativity in Infrastructure Policy. Ara Toi and Three Waters staff collaborated with artists, engineers, and contractors to successfully negotiate everything from signage to star fabrication, resulting in an artwork that is perfectly at home in its setting.
Acknowledgements
Mana whenua advisor: Victoria Campbell (Kāti Irakehu, Kāi Tahu)
Project lead: Camilla Bennett, Three Waters, DCC