Bringing public art to the people of Auckland can be a delicate art in itself.

Just the right piece must be found to work in harmony with its surroundings.

Sometimes it can also be a waiting game.

That’s what happened recently at Te Puia O Maungarei Springs Reserve.

The team wanted to relocated Genoa – a sculpture by Peter Nicholls – gifted to the city in 2012 by the late Dr Rodney Wilson.

The plan was to site it on an island in a pond at the reserve in June before the nesting season.

But staff inspecting the location discovered a black swan had already laid her eggs and the project had to be put on hold.

“It’s pretty unheard of for swans to start nesting at that time of year. So a bit of a curveball,” David Hebenton, arts and culture advisor told the NZ Herald. 

But the four cygnets have now hatched and are showing signs they will soon leave the island.

“Now the cygnets are happily swimming around the pond we have been told that in a couple of week’s time we will be able to recommence work so hopefully the locals will be able to see Genoa on the island within the next month or so.”