Robert Jahnke: Spinning Top

Spinning Top is a large stainless steel sculpture by Robert Jahnke located on Woodward Street in Wellington’s CBD.

Robert Jahnke had been working on a series of Maori spinning tops or potaka and decided to modify the design to include a pictorial history of Wellington.

"I wanted to go for something that was visually interesting, so I created a European version of the top and included Maori references through heiroglyphics. Spinning Top traces the history of Whanganui-a-Tara, the Maori name for Wellington. The major mythical story is that of the two taniwha in the harbour. The taniwha formed the harbour and the surrounding hills with their movements”. - Robert Jahnke

Spinning top was commissioned with funding from the Jack and Emma Griffin Charitable Trust and assistance from the Wellington City Council.