Liberty-Herekoretanga
Liberty-herekoretanga celebrates the achievements of women and embraces the beauty of diversity and the importance of environmental awareness. To signify and commemorate 130 years of women’s suffrage, the towering structure composed of 31,872 camellia flowers made from recycled bottles.
In the 1890s, white camellias became a symbol of Aotearoa New Zealand women’s suffrage when suffragists gave the flowers to their parliamentary supporters to wear in the House to show their support for women’s rights. At the same time, 13 petitions, with a total of 31,872 signatures demanding that women be given the right to vote, were delivered to Parliament. On 19 September 1893, New Zealand became the world's first self-governing country to lawfully value women's right to vote in parliamentary elections.
Liberty – Herekoretanga features 31,872 carefully arranged and illuminated camellia flowers made in the workshops, each flower representing one of the signatures on the petitions presented to parliament in the 1890s. Each camellia made by communities throughout New Zealand reignites our history. The flowers, varying in shape, colour, and size, represent women's diverse experiences, backgrounds, and contributions throughout New Zealand’s history.
In 2018, artist Wendy Hannah started the Camellia Project NZ. Over the last five years she has visited schools and community groups throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, running workshops to make camellia flowers from recycled drink bottles and talking about the history of women’s rights in New Zealand alongside the importance of recycling and reducing waste.
Wendy Hannah (European, Ngāti Awa and Te Arawa descent) is a contemporary artist based in East-Auckland. A graduate of Elam School of Fine Arts, her practice explores colour, and refractive and reflective materiality, especially light. Focusing on the ability of art to make change, Wendy uses colourways to explore wider ecological, social and political change. With a strong interest in community, her practice includes participatory workshops and community led activations (including working with the Māori Women’s Welfare League), as well as having artwork displayed throughout Aotearoa, New Zealand and internationally.
Wendy Hannah says, “Liberty-Herekoretanga serves as a poignant reminder of the accomplishments and ongoing struggles of women, while also advocating for sustainable practices and environmental consciousness. It stands as a powerful symbol of empowerment, diversity, and unity, inspiring viewers to embrace the past, celebrate the present, and work towards a brighter and more inclusive future”.
We invite you to visit Botany Town Centre and sit beneath the collection of translucent camellias. The flowers come to life, glowing with a soft, radiant light. The dynamic illumination showcases the vibrancy and strength of women, illuminating the path forward towards gender equality and social progress.
Liberty-Herekoretanga can be found in the Pavillion of Botany Town Centre outside Glassons clothing store, all you have to do is look up!
Follow Wendy Hannah: Facebook / Instagram
The production and installation of Liberty - Herekoretanga has been generously supported by Botany Town Centre, Arts Out East, Te Tuhi and the Howick Local Board.