Atua Wāhine – Holding up the Sky


For Cordis Auckland, she has created three new bronze sculptures, which reflect on the role that Atua Wāhine – Māori Goddesses play within Te Ao Māori. Much of Mestrom’s practice draws on creation mythology and strives to embody a transcendental form with real power, so that each sculpture is able to elicit a private experience within a shared public space. 

Dr. Emily Cormack, Curator of the Cordis Auckland Art Collection, 2021
As guests arrive at Cordis Auckland, they are greeted by Holding up the Sky, a 3.5-metre bronze representation of Ika-roa, Māori Mother Goddess. Her arms reach to the sky, protecting all those who pass beneath her. In Māori mythology, Ika-roa is the Mother Goddess of all the stars, the ornaments of the sky. Ika-Roa is also an alternative name for the Milky Way. The work speaks of kaitiakitanga, our guardianship and interconnectedness with the stars and with the earth. As the goddess, she stands firm on the ground while she holds up the stars.
the figure in this sculpture appears introspective, looking inward while reflecting on what has been and preparing for what is to come. She embodies te whai ao, or the moment before dawn, when all is still and internal, as if she is readying herself for the spark of day. Kneeling before the Dawn represents the hotel suite as a space of retreat and rest, where guests might gather themselves for the world beyond.
Papatūānuku (Earth Mother) is a guardian, connecting the visitor with the land of Aotearoa and welcoming people. This work also helps bring the viewer a sense of their own place in the world – or their own tūrangawaewae – and the power of knowing their own place within it.