Whai is a captivating light-based artwork by Janine Williams, suspended and intertwined across the Gantry at Silo Park until 5 October.
Inspired by the traditional Māori string game, Whai was commissioned by Auckland Council Public Art and first presented in midtown for Matariki ki te Manawa in 2024.
Whai has returned this year in a bigger and bolder, three-dimensional form. The artwork lights up Silo Park’s Gantry, a prominent feature on the waterfront offering 360-degree views across the city and Waitematā Harbour.
Janine Williams (Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Ngāti Mahuta) is a contemporary artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She has a passion for artwork that reflects mana whenua narratives, the stories of people and whenua.
Blending ancient knowledge with contemporary design, Whai weaves ancestral narratives into light. This year’s installation brings new elements representing the making and playing of whai, including the challenges involved when the string loops and tangles. The artwork looks to convey those challenges and our ability to overcome them.
“Whai keeps Māori traditions alive, a shared experience that bridges cultures, ensuring they remain vibrant and celebrated for generations to come,” Williams says.
“I invite people to immerse themselves in the game. For centuries Māori children have played and become skilled at whai, learning complex patterns and the stories behind them. Through connection, creation, and discovery, Whai offers everyone that learning experience - bringing people together through the joy of making,” she says.
Auckland Council Public Art will exhibit Whai in different locations over the next three to five years during Matariki season.
The artist – Janine Williams
Janine Williams is a professional urban contemporary artist and arts consultant with over 25 years’ experience.
Williams works alongside her husband Charles Williams, and they are acclaimed in their creation of collaborative, distinctive large-scale murals honouring kaupapa Māori (purpose) and have a large portfolio of site-specific commissioned works.
Recent large-scale commissions include AIA NZ (2025) and AUT North Campus. Recent highlights include Te Manawa Group Show, Aotearoa Art Fair (2024), Pick up Stakes & Survey, Whakātane Galleries (2024), Tohu (Muru Exhibition) with Charles Williams, Tā Hare Williams KNZM, Nigel Borell MNZM (2023), Black Picket Fence at Sculpture on the Gulf (2022).
Williams is a mother and business owner, in her final year of an Executive Master of Business Administration, Te Kunenga Ki Pūrehuroa (Massey University) and Master of Professional Creative Practice at Toihoukura. Williams studied full immersion Te Reo Māori, at Te Wānanga Takiura (2022) and continues to study Te Reo Māori part-time.
Silo Park at Wynyard Quarter
Silo Park was chosen as 2025’s temporary site for Whai, a precinct strongly reflecting the waterfront’s heritage. The regeneration of Wynyard Quarter acknowledges its place on the edge of the Waitematā, retaining elements of the area’s industrial history.
More on this regeneration on Our Auckland.
You can keep an eye on the Silo Park website for a list of upcoming events or sign up to our waterfront newsletter for news from the area.
