Source: Auckland Council
A once reflective, quiet urban backyard, used mainly by the residents of upper Federal Street, has become a living art experience.
Since Joe Sheehan’s Lost & Found – a series of eight intricately carved boulders sourced from all over New Zealand – was first placed in the street, residents, people on bikes and scooters, and walkers have had a front row seat to view this extraordinary work of art.
The lamps appear like lighting structures used in archaeological digs, in a theatre or as a feature light in a room, but they function as a guiding light to the art itself. After some fine-tuning and adjustment, the customised lights were completed this week.
Waitematā Local Board Chair Genevieve Sage is delighted to see the installation, which is already enchanting Aucklanders, completed in such a unique way.
“We’ve already had a glimpse of how engaging these works are, now we will literally see lighting shining on them, to draw people further in,” she says.
On the upper plane of each boulder, thought to be millions of years old, everyday belongings can be seen carved to a smooth satin finish with dexterity and precision.
The woven thread of shoelaces can be seen in a pair of sneakers. Other objects include a baseball cap, puffer jacket, sunglasses, gloves and a backpack. Learn more here.
The ambition for the artist of Lost & Found was to create richly detailed and illuminated moments, encouraging a sense of social warmth and welcome. The much-acclaimed Wellington-based artist has supported the sense of community in the street.
Learn more about the artist Joe Sheehan and his work on OurAuckland.
Deb Ward, of Auckland City Mission – Te Tāpui Atawhai, says the artwork is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood.
“There’s been a buzz about the boulders with street whānau, staff, volunteers and those passing by, all stopping to take a look, tug at the shoes to see if they’re real or run their hands over the jacket carved from stone. It’s as though the sculptures themselves have become part of the community,” she says.
The lighting was conceived by the artist as an integral part of the artwork and the design and fabrication led by Ōtāhuhu Engineering and Mark Herring Lighting.
A gobo device placed inside each lamp illuminates the smoothed stone surface and carved object, while leaving the rest of the boulder in relative darkness.
Upper Federal streetscape
After a re-design and upgrade completed by Auckland Council in 2022, and now with the artwork in place and lit up, this is a high quality, tree-lined, pedestrian-scale, community-focused shared space for the many people who walk or cycle through the street, work in the area, or call Federal Street home.
Once a space built for cars, it is now a people-prioritised lane in the city centre – with 13 new trees providing shade, nine rain gardens filtering stormwater before it reaches the waterways, places to sit and spend time, and upgraded street lighting to improve safety.
This Auckland Council-led project features a design narrative, guided by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei mātanga toi Graham Tipene and developed in partnership with mana whenua, referencing ideas of compassion, community, home and wellbeing.
It now also gives Aucklanders and visitors an art experience.
Living and breathing public art
Waitematā Local Board Chair Genevieve Sage says public art is vital in our city as it pushes us to appreciate a new way of thinking, discovering and honouring our past and present.
“I want to say how much we appreciate Joe Sheehan and this new work. Through Joe’s extraordinary skill and creative exploration we see a space where contemporary artwork meets early geological formations which join to tell a story. The artwork is inviting us to see and touch and experience it in a contemporary way,” she says.
Auckland Council’s Public Art team echo those thoughts. They want Aucklanders and visitors to experience thought-provoking, culturally vibrant, enjoyable public art, reflecting Auckland’s character, people, places and stories.
The depth of thought and artistic expression Joe Sheehan has brought to Lost & Found fully realises this intent.
Auckland Public Art / He Kohinga Toi website helps make public art accessible, giving Aucklanders and visitors a way to discover artworks and sharing the stories behind the collection.
With 311 artworks online, the map functionality allows people to search and discover artworks from their phone or mobile device. Once ‘location’ is turned on (under settings on your device) you can geo-locate artworks wherever you are.
