Have you noticed how the red granite seems to glow in the afternoon sun? This is Opened Stone, a sculpture with a fascinating history right here in Manukau Domain.
Opened Stone was created by Japanese artist Hiroaki Ueda. He designed and hand-carved this deceptively simple sculpture in 1971. Imagine Ueda and his assistant, Bronwen Muir, carefully chipping away at a ten-tonne slab of red African granite. They used only hand tools.
Ueda was one of five Pacific Rim artists. They were commissioned for the International Sculpture Symposium. The New Zealand Society of Sculptors & Painters organized it. It celebrated Auckland’s centenary. Each artist got a prominent site. Their artworks were gifted to the city.
Opened Stone stood in front of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki for over three decades. Many Aucklanders remember it there. It was removed during the gallery’s redevelopment in 2008. After research, the council chose this location in Manukau Domain. It was installed here in 2016.
Ueda drew inspiration from the Shinto tradition. Shinto sculptures are often ceremonial and memorial. They feature blocks stacked on each other. The color and form of Opened Stone resemble a Shinto prayer gate, or torii. In Japanese tradition, a torii marks the entrance to a Shinto shrine. It symbolizes passage to a sacred space.
Look at the views from here. You can see the Manukau Harbour and the coastal bush below. The Puketapapa Local Board supported this relocation. They believed it would enhance people’s experience of the coastline.
Opened Stone now has new opportunities here. It tells evolving cultural stories. These stories are about the artist, the work, and its new contribution to Manukau Domain. It creates a welcoming space for all. Hiroaki Ueda’s legacy lives on.