Untitled (whakanoa), 2016
Perspex, stainless steel, stone, wood, concrete, steel and plastic water bottles
700 x 550 x 1,500 mm
Untitled (whakanoa) comprises multiple components. Steel Y posts with water bottles attached are located at both ends of the foreshore urupā (burial ground) of Matiatia (Matietie), while a sculpture of water, stone, and timber rests near the pavilion. The work stems from a previous experience Langdon had at Matiatia, “an experience that involved a moment, a moment created by the sharing of knowledge. The revelation of the history of the site resulted in a feeling of a need for action relating to the necessary conduct in the area of urupā. The use of water for Whakanoa (removing tapu) is something I was shown as a kid at our whānau urupā in Raglan.”
Untitled (Whakanoa) invites audiences to wash stone and water over timber and contemplate the important yet unseen histories that are culturally entangled in the site. Langdon hopes that these ritual materials raise new reflections on past narratives of place, and encourage the use of water when leaving the Matiatia urupā out of mutual respect.
