Nestled among the palm-lined gardens at the entrance to our beach, three striking carved wooden poles rise from the lawn — guardians of the space where land meets sea. These sculptural works are the creation of Tui Hobson, a Pacific artist whose work speaks deeply to ancestry, place, and the enduring rhythms of island life.

Born in Aotearoa New Zealand with ancestral ties across Polynesia — including the Cook Islands — Hobson draws upon her heritage to weave stories of migration, belonging, and cultural resilience.

Her art embodies the shared Pacific experience: shaped by ocean currents, oral traditions, and intricate patterns carved into wood that mark identity and kinship. Each of her carved poles at MOTU echoes these influences, combining the organic beauty of the timber with structured geometric shapes inspired by coral, tapa motifs and traditional carving.

Her approach bridges the traditional and the contemporary, with work that also spans cast glass, bronze and LED light. This range reflects an ongoing interest in how Pacific identity persists and transforms, creating pieces that feel rooted in heritage yet reflective of the present.

Over more than 30 years of making, she has developed a highly respected body of work, with pieces shown in galleries and regional exhibitions across New Zealand and the wider Pacific.

At MOTU, her three statuesque poles stand not just as artworks but as storytellers. They invite guests to pause and notice the interplay between shadow and sunlight, salt air and wood grain — all reminders of the Pacific’s living pulse.

As part of our private collection, Hobson’s sculptures embody what MOTU celebrates most: the beauty and deep cultural roots of the Pacific.

Read about the artwork of Michael Tuffery at MOTU.
Read about the artwork of Fatu Feu’u at MOTU.