The sea is warm but choppy today at Kaitarakihi Beach, where mana whenua have joined New York artist Sarah Cameron Sunde in a 12-hour immersive performance.
Sunde and two companions took up position just after 4am for 36.5 / A Durational Performance with the Sea.
Cultural performer Nettie Norman says others are joining them during the day, with the piece finishing just after 4.30.
She says the piece, which Sunde has performed at several sites around the world since 2013, resonates for Maori.
“I’ve had questions all week saying ‘why on earth are people standing in the water for 12 and half hours?’ When you explain it to them, some get it and some don’t. For us in our circle who have been involved with this, we said to each other it took a lady from America, from New York to come over here put this in place for us to wake up to the reality of the climate here,” Norman says.
Sunde had planned to perform 36.5 in the Manukau in March 2020, but had to put it on hold because of the Covid lockdown.
