"Essence 26" 2026

Essence 26 (2026) is a one-of-a-kind sculptural work by New Zealand artist John Allen — a piece that reaches across continents and millennia to bring together the ancient and the natural in a single, extraordinary composition. Handcrafted from a pōhutukawa root salvaged from a fallen tree at Langs Beach, Northland, the sculpture rises from a South Island river stone base upon which a spiral has been engraved by hand and highlighted with gold paint.

The spiral is no arbitrary mark. It is inspired by the ancient spirals carved into the megalithic stones at Newgrange, Ireland — a passage tomb built around 3200 BCE, older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. Those spirals, carved by Neolithic hands more than five thousand years ago, are among the oldest known examples of human artistic expression. Here, that ancient symbol finds new life in New Zealand stone — its engraved channel filled with gold, catching the light and giving the mark a quiet luminosity that honours both its origin and its new home.

The river stone itself is a beautiful object — smoothed by water over countless years, its surface now carries both the memory of the river and the intention of the artist. Together with the organic strength and striking movement in the grain of the pōhutukawa root above, finished with natural oil and wax, the composition speaks of time, continuity, and the enduring human impulse to mark, to make, and to connect.

Essence 26 is an original artwork of rare depth and resonance — a profoundly considered gift for someone truly special.

Specifications:

• Title: Essence 26 (2026)
• Artist: John Allen
• Materials: Pōhutukawa root (Langs Beach, Northland), South Island river stone with gold-filled engraved spiral
• Finish: Oil and wax (wood); engraved and gold-filled (stone)
• Height: 360 mm | Width: 180 mm
• Care: Indoor display recommended