Anna Scott, Kōtuku

Kōtuku

From the Endangered Series
By Anna Scott

Kōtuku forms part of Anna Scott’s Endangered Series, a body of work that honours the fragile existence of taonga species in Aotearoa. This series utilises chalk paint, timber, chalk, and charcoal — materials chosen for their symbolic impermanence. Once sealed, the original marks soften and shift, partially disappearing beneath new layers. Through this natural push and pull, the artwork itself becomes a metaphor: what is here today may not remain tomorrow.

The kōtuku (white heron) is an icon of rarity and grace, revered in Māori culture and recognised for its ethereal presence. Yet despite its beauty and status, the species remains critically endangered, with recent estimates placing the population at only 100–120 birds across Aotearoa.

In this artwork, the kōtuku emerges from a darkened field of chalkboard paint, its delicate form drawn in chalk and conte — mediums that can be wiped away with a single gesture. Their fragility mirrors the precarious state of the species itself, emphasising how easily these birds could vanish without continued care and intervention.

As Anna reworks the surface, layers fade and reappear, echoing the ebb and flow of conservation efforts. Some details remain; others dissolve. This tension becomes a reminder that without vigilance, without predator control, without collective action, species like the kōtuku will not endure.

Kōtuku is both a tribute and a warning — a call to responsibility as we move toward a predator-free Aotearoa.

Media: Sealed chalk and conte on chalkboard-painted ply, raw timber frame
Dimensions: 900 × 1200 mm
Series: Endangered Series
Artist: Anna Scott – Taranaki, Aotearoa