The Marlborough Mile is a 1.3km walkway around the CBD of Blenheim, a mini tour of interactive art that pays homage to Marlborough’s identity. We’ve had the great pleasure of partnering with the Marlborough District Council and Blenheim Business Association to bring the vision of The Marlborough Mile to life.
The latest addition to the growing array of striking art pieces, located on the corner of Market Street, is the aptly named “Tama-nui-te-rā.” Tama-nui-te-rā is the Maori word for “sun” or “day.”
The sculpture, created by Robin Rawstorne, depicts the Sun, Earth and Moon. Not only does the sculpture provide a stunning centrepiece for the busy shopping district corner, but it also shines light upon the area with both the Sun and the base lighting up in the evenings. Along the bottom of the sculpture, passers-by can use hand holds to spin the sculpture, creating the effect of the Earth and Moon orbiting the Sun.
CMT Group had the honour of installing the masterpiece. This project included the removal of the previous art installation, creating a solid foundation, installation of lights, installation of the sculpture itself, repaving and refinishing the surrounding area. The project took place over a short period of time to reduce any disturbance to the surrounding businesses.
Project Manager Adam Carrington says, “It means a lot to be involved with installing such a contentious piece of art, right in the centre of town.” Colleague James Stagg mentioned “It was quite a delicate operation putting the bespoke lightbulb in place. We had to be very careful the sculpture wasn’t damaged.” Even Maighan Watson, Project and Contracts Manager from the Marlborough District Council commented “The project is seamless as always with CMT Group.”
We’re thrilled to see this project complete for Marlburians to enjoy.
