Pepeketua/Hochstetter's Frog

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About this item

Pepeketua/Hochstetter’s Frog - Te Rau O Te Huia/Huia’s Special Species

TITLE: Pepeketua (Hochstetter's Frog)

ARTIST: Stephanie Nierstenhoefer (OOAK)

MEDIUM: Mixed Media - Photography & Graphic Design

DIMENSIONS: 605mmHx580mmW

This artwork honours the pepeketua (Hochstetter’s frog), one of Aotearoa’s rarest and most ancient taonga species, found in the shaded, damp forests of the Waitākere Ranges. Silent and elusive, the pepeketua survives through a delicate balance, relying entirely on healthy, intact forest ecosystems.

In this piece, the frog meets the viewer’s gaze through the glass—a moment of quiet intensity that feels both like connection and a plea for care. It invites reflection and responsibility, reminding us that protecting one species helps safeguard the entire ecosystem it calls home.

A contemporary mixed-media artist based in Titirangi, Stephanie Nierstenhoefer is an award-winning practitioner whose work has been exhibited widely and recognised in major regional art awards and galleries, making her a highly sought-after contributor to collaborative and community-focused projects.

Online bidding* ends: 12:00pm, 27 February 202612:00pm, Friday 27 February 2026Pacific/Auckland

^‡This item is subject to a reserve price. Should the leading bid at expiry not meet the reserve, the item will not be sold.

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