What if a house held the cosmos? Here we are at The Lighthouse / Tū Whenua-a-Kura. It is more than just a sculpture. It is a thought-provoking artwork by Michael Parekōwhai. The House Sculpture sits at the water’s edge on Queens Wharf. This location faces the Waitematā Harbour.
The Lighthouse is a full-scale classic 1950s state house. It stands 8.5 meters high. You can see weatherboards, windows, shutters, a brick chimney, and a burnt-red front door. It looks like an ordinary home. But inside, it is anything but ordinary.
Instead of furniture, you will find neon lights. These lights represent constellations. There is also a polished stainless steel sculpture. It is titled The English Channel. This sculpture depicts Captain Cook. He is perched on a stool. He looks down in contemplation.
Michael Parekōwhai is a well-known contemporary artist from New Zealand. He says The Lighthouse is a small house that holds the cosmos. He notes that we have the whole world in our house. It is a house that you can look into and see through.
The chandeliers are not what you expect. They are clusters of neon lights. These lights represent the constellations. Writer Anthony Byrt described The Lighthouse as a singularly important artwork. It memorializes Māori resistance. It pays tribute to shared histories of navigation and migration. The artwork also honors our egalitarian past. It acts as a gesture of permanent subterfuge. This all happens in the heart of our property-obsessed city.
The Lighthouse is surrounded by a wooden jetty. It appears to float on Queens Wharf. You can explore the work. Look through its windows and doors. Climb the staircase to get a better view.
The interior finish is highly reflective. It features clusters of neon lights. These lights represent the star constellations. They illuminate all the surfaces. The combination of light and a fireplace implies the notion of ahi kā. It suggests that home fires are burning. It creates a feeling that the house is warm and welcoming.
The presence of The English Channel grounds the work. This Captain Cook is not a hero. Instead, he is pensive and thoughtful. He faces toward the fire. It is as if he is warming his feet. But his gaze and mind are elsewhere.
You can view The Lighthouse from Queens Wharf. You can also see it from the sea on the Waiheke or Devonport ferries. The artwork is part of Auckland Council’s public art collection.
Barfoot & Thompson Ltd and anonymous donors funded it. The Lighthouse is the largest gift of public art that Auckland has ever received. It was donated in 2017. The exterior of The Lighthouse references the site. It also takes cues from the environment on Queens Wharf. The colors reflect the space between the sea and the sky.
Michael Parekowhai sees The Lighthouse as a house filled with light. The English Channel occupies part of the void inside. Cook is in a contemplative mood. He faces the north-west. The light constellations dance off his highly polished surface.
Inside, there are no sharp corners. This allows light to bounce around the space. There is a fireplace in one corner. It is just a memory of one. Cook’s feet face toward that fire. It is as if he’s warming his feet. But his gaze and mind are somewhere else.
The coloured light implies ahi kā. This symbolizes that the home fires are burning. The lights are still on. So take a moment to appreciate this unique artwork. Consider the layers of meaning it holds. Think about the stories it tells. The Lighthouse is more than just a house. It is a beacon of art and culture in Auckland.