Camera Obscura

“Who would believe that so small a space could contain the image of all the universe? O mighty process!” Leonardo D Vinci

Diane Stoppard is the creator behind this world-renowned 8-metre spiral steel sculpture on the edge of Whangārei’s Hātea River. Designed to celebrate the iconic Te Matau ā Pohe bascule bridge, the sculpture houses a functioning Camera Obscura — a darkened chamber where the bridge is projected inside through a single aperture. One of the largest publicly accessible Camera Obscura in the world, this striking work of art is both a tribute to light and a powerful reflection of place.