RELIC

bank of the Matukituki River, this sculpture trail explores ephemerality and the ways we relate to time. The site is a living archive of elemental force—scattered with colossal ice-age moraine boulders, sharp alpine light, and the dense, light-absorbing beech forest framing the grey and azure blue of the braided river.

 

Placing sculpture directly into this landscape moves the field of perspective around each work. By building a loop that takes about twenty minutes to walk, the trail transforms you from a viewer into an active experiencer. As you walk, the changing light, shadows, and textures of the forms reveal themselves through physical movement.

 

The intention of this path is to intentionally throw the experiencer into a speculative, dystopian future. By looking back at our present moment from a distance, we gain a clear perspective on the critical times we are living in and the climate tipping points scientists have long warned us about.

 

Ultimately, this specific space is identified as a place of resistance against the corruption of natural beauty. Here, ancient guardians and new technologies take a united stand—asserting the rights of the land itself through an encounter that is both grounded in the vitality of the mountains and acutely aware of their fragility.