Rods that count

A painter touches up a 12m-high sculpture in Manukau. Picture / Brett Phibbs

A sculpture by Michael Parekowhai, based on Cuisenaire rods, was originally developed to help young children understand mathematical concepts.

The work, entitled Atarangi II, stands outside Te Tuhi - The Mark in Pakuranga, Manukau City.

Parekowhai has shown an inclination in past works to take a monumental slant on commonplace objects, such as children's toys.

Cuisenaire rods were invented by Belgian teacher Georges Cuisenaire in the 1950s to help children understand maths, learn fractions and visualise the relationship between numbers.

The rods, which became popular in the 1960s, are different colours and lengths depending on the unit they represent. For example, a white rod represents one unit and is 1cm long and a yellow rod is 5cm.

Cuisenaire rods are even employed in the teaching of languages, with individual blocks used as syllables or words. Language learners can visualise the words, or parts of words, in sentences. In Maori, this method is known as Te Atarangi, hence Parekowhai's title for his creation.

The work, sheathed in aluminium and put up outside the community centre in Reeves Rd, was commissioned by the Pakuranga Arts Society, with funding support by the Lottery Grants Board, SkyCity Auckland Community Trust and the Friends of Te Tuhi - The Mark.