Esther McDonald (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Pūkenga, and Pākehā)

Coupland Cormack commissioned Esther McDonald of Thea Ceramics to create a bespoke collection of angled vases for the InterContinental Hotel at One Queen Street. Each vase is a feminine form depicting Hine-uku-rangi, the goddess of clay. They are hand-thrown from brutalist clay and glazed with Thea's Kirikiri glaze, evoking warmth and movement, reflecting the shoreline location of One Queen Street. The Kirikiri glaze, translating to ‘shoreline’ in te reo Māori, pays homage to the waterfront setting of the site. With meticulous care, Esther hand-threw over 160 vessels, ensuring their presence in every suite across the hotel.

McDonald’s vases symbolise the interconnectedness of the land and its elements, representing the offspring of Hine-uku-rangi, including bedrock, wetland, greywacke, pounamu, grindstone, volcanic earth, shore reef, fern, and kōkōwai—all integral elements of Tāmaki Makaurau.

Through her pottery, McDonald captures the essence of Aukaha, a unified narrative manifested in all the artworks commissioned. Aukaha are the bindings that strap the waka together and symbolise strength in unity, reflecting the convergence of whenua (land) and moana (sea), and the power of working collaboratively. This is manifested in the union of tradition and innovation, land and sea, in each intricately crafted piece. Her mahi and kaupapa provide high-quality, thoughtfully produced pieces that draw from uku traditions and are embedded in Te Ao Māori.

One Queen Street, the Deloitte Centre, is a Precinct Properties development with architecture by Warren & Mahoney, interior design by Technē, and home to the luxury InterContinental Hotel. The One Queen Street kaupapa includes commissioned works by our four mana whenua design partners alongside works by leading contemporary artists from Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Australia.

Selected photography: Sam Hartnett. Images courtesy of the artist.