AusLeisure

Auckland’s Go Media Stadium, Rarotonga Mt Smart, has installed a mural to celebrate the stadium’s legacy and the joy it brings to fans and the teams who call it home.

The artwork is located along the wall of the lower concourse in the East Stand at Go Media Stadium and stretches nearly 60 metres long, as well as being five metres high. It is one continuous piece that depicts elements from the stadium’s past, from the history of the land and its people to sports, from concerts to the diversity of patrons who have attended events there.

The mural was part-funded by the One New Zealand Warriors and Auckland FC, with both teams celebrating Go Media Stadium as their home ground. Three mural artists contributed to the work, which took three weeks to complete. Auckland-based Jonny4Higher was joined by brothers Kairau and Earnest Bradley, known as Haser and Tawck.

The mural was blessed in a ceremony led jointly by representatives from Ngāti Whatua Orakei and kaumatua David Wilson Takaanini of Te Ākitai Waiohua.

The narrative
With such a rich and vibrant history to convey, a cultural narrative was developed for the mural by Tāmaki Makaurau Office Architecture (TOA). The narrative is anchored by the concept “Kia whakatō muri ai te titiro, ko te haere anga whakamua”, which translates to “We walk backwards into the future with eyes fixed firmly on our past”.

The narrative is of an ancient relationship between peoples of the distant past and their arrival to Tāmaki Makaurau, Aotearoa. The mural is delineated by one pou at the beginning and another pou at the end, with images of stadium activities in between. The metaphor is one of contemplation of its past, present and future, connected by a deep sense of unity. This is depicted through the image of a single waka (alluding to ‘kotahitanga’).

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s Director of Auckland Stadiums James Parkinson explained the motivation behind the work “at its heart, this mural is about connecting the present of Rarotonga, Go Media Stadium with its past. The past is central to and shapes both our current and future identity. We wanted to create a tapestry that tells the tale of this stadium’s storied history and of the millions who have attended events here.”

“Visitors to the stadium will recognise iconic memories from the past and look forward to more incredible moments in its future. Go Media Stadium means so much to so many and we hope that patrons will join us in celebrating its remarkable history”.

Jonny4Higher has completed mural projects all over Aotearoa and believes this could be the biggest yet enthusing “I was so excited to get involved with this project. This stadium is so special and the mural is one of the biggest that I have ever been involved with.

“I’ve known the Bradley brothers for years so working collaboratively with Kairau (Haser) and Earnest (Tawck) was a dream for me. Together it feels like we have created something which connects the past and the present, representing each other and hopefully many more across Auckland”.

Haser is proud to put his connection with the Warriors at the heart of his work and adds “Like many others across Aotearoa I grew up dreaming of being a Warrior and running out onto the field here at Go Media Stadium to a sellout crowd. I’ve been here as a fan countless times so to be able to collaborate with my brother and Jonny on this artwork is a privilege – we hope people connect with our work. I may not be a Warrior but to me, as an artist, this might be the next best thing”.

The One New Zealand Warriors have been based at Go Media Stadium since the club’s inception in 1995, culminating in a remarkable sellout season in 2024.

One New Zealand Warriors Chief Executive Cameron George advised “Go Media Stadium has been the One New Zealand Warriors’ home for 30 seasons.

“Our club and fans have such a strong connection to this place. We’re passionate about it and this mural helps to tell the story of the stadium’s past, present and future which we are such a crucial part of.”

Fans attending Auckland FC’s first ever match on Saturday 19th October at Go Media Stadium will be the first to view the mural in person at a ticketed event. Nick Becker, Chief Executive of Auckland FC, said the team is honoured to be represented in the artwork adding “Go Media Stadium has a rich sporting and cultural history and we are proud to be the next chapter in the tale. Our first ever game on Saturday will be a historic day for Tāmaki Makaurau and we are excited to have our fans be among the first to experience it in person.”

The mural at Go Media Stadium can be accessed by ticketholders of any event at the stadium by entering the lower East Stand concourse.

Related Articles

19th September 2024 - Auckland’s Go Media Stadium attracts record-breaking NRL attendance

16th May 2023 - Naming rights sale sees Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium rebranded as Go Media Stadium

3rd July 2023 - EVANZ announces award of Go Media Mt Smart Stadium All Blacks Scholarship

28th January 2023 - Auckland flood event sees Elton John’s Mt Smart Stadium concerts abandoned

9th November 2021 - NRL’S Warriors set for Auckland return with five matches confirmed for Mt Smart Stadium in 2022

13th July 2020 - Pollstar ranks Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium among world’s top 20 venues

31st January 2020 - Mt Smart Stadium set to become New Zealand’s biggest drive-in cinema

4th October 2019 - Mega tent erected over Mt Smart Stadium playing surface

13th February 2018 - Auckland Stadiums offers Mt Smart naming rights

13th February 2018 - Naming rights opportunity: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland

15th August 2017 - LED lighting system live at Mt Smart Stadium

2nd June 2017 - Auckland Stadiums’ Mt Smart Stadium triple sell-out

13th March 2017 - New Zealand’s largest big screen goes live at Mt Smart Stadium

15th October 2014 - Uncertainty over Warriors future at Mt Smart Stadium

10th March 2010 - Mt Smart Supertop Sells for $10

16th February 2010 - Mt Smart Stadium ‘not for sale’

8th February 2010 - David Beckham fiasco at Mt Smart Stadium: ‘tension’ in the public sector operating commercially

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.