Siu I Moana – Artwork Deinstallation and Reinstallation Project

Our Heights Team managed the careful deinstallation of Siu I Moana (2011), the monumental ngatu (barkcloth) artwork by Dame Robin White and Ruha Fifita, from the University of Auckland’s Science Centre on Symonds Street. As a significant Māori and Pasifika artwork, Siu I Moana plays a vital role in creating a culturally rich environment and supporting the University’s art collection, reflecting the connections between Tonga and Aotearoa New Zealand.

The project was part of a 6-month conservation period in 2025, during which the artwork underwent extensive rest and preservation in close collaboration with the artists. A new hanging system was designed to ensure the artwork’s long-term stability and to enable safer access for abseilers during future installations and deinstallations.

The works involved establishing a secure exclusion zone with a ground spotter monitoring pedestrian traffic, rigging abseil systems to certified anchors and beam trolleys, accessing the Level 4 wall using aid climbing techniques, and installing brackets into the concrete wall with dynabolts and chemset, aligned precisely using a laser level. A hauling system was then rigged to carefully lift and position the artwork. After 6 months, the artwork was reinstalled with the same precision and care, ensuring it remained in perfect condition.

The project successfully preserved the integrity of the artwork while enhancing its long-term display system. The new hanging solution ensures the artwork can be safely deinstalled and reinstalled in the future, maintaining its role as a cornerstone of the University’s Pacific art collection.