Reaching Across a Great Distance Art Installation (2025)

Collaborators

• Artist: Ana Iti

• Client: Precinct Properties

• Art Consultants: Coupland Cormack

• Creative Production Partner: Human Dynamo Workshop

Commissioned by Precinct Properties and curated by Coupland Cormack, Reaching Across a Great Distance is a striking piece located in the ground floor lobby at 55 Molesworth Street, Wellington - home to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and MetService.

Created by artist Ana Iti, the large-scale steel wall sculpture welcomes visitors into the building while reflecting the history, landscape and living waterways of Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

Drawing on the pūrākau of Whātaitai (the taniwha whose pursuit shaped the landform of Hataitai) and the whakataukī He Auripo, the work reminds us that where water moves, there is life.

Supporting installation

Human Dynamo Workshop provided installation advice and on-site installation support for the large-scale steel sculpture, helping realise the Ana Iti's vision within the space.

Working closely with the artist and project team, our role ensured the sculpture could be perfectly positioned and securely integrated, balancing the practical demands of installation with the integrity of the artwork.

This project continues our long-standing working relationship with Ana Iti and follows our collaboration on Shelters at City Gallery Wellington in 2022.

The result

Suspended within the lobby, Reaching Across a Great Distance introduces movement and rhythm to the space through its rippling steel form. Responding to the geology, waterways and cultural narratives of Te Whanganui-a-Tara, the sculpture creates a powerful sense of arrival while demonstrating how thoughtful collaboration between artist, fabricators and installers can bring ambitious public artworks to life.

Image credit: Magdalena Podbielkowska Bisley