Julia Holderness, Figure Studies: a poster for work by a modernist artist who may or may not have existed.
SCAPE Public Art’s annual season of art in public space opens this weekend in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
The SCAPE Season is a distinctive part of Summer in the Garden City. New contemporary art is arranged on a walkable art loop, and open all hours for 12 weeks.
Seven professional artists were selected for SCAPE Season 2024, Material / Immaterial Worlds. Managing Curator Tyson Campbell (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Maniapoto) asked the artists to consider the question “How does an unseen world affect your physical world?”
Some of the artworks are striking and thoughtful, others are fun and interactive; all are free to view all Summer (23 November 2024 to 15 February 2025). The artworks are installed in a loop of less than 3.5km. “Public art is uniquely accessible – it’s free, in shared public spaces, and anyone can experience it,” says SCAPE Public Art Executive Director Richard Aindow.
Six of the seven artworks are new, commissioned by SCAPE Public Art for this Season:
· Ngaio Cowell (Ngaati Te Ata Te Waiohua, Waikato, Ngāti Pourou), he rerenga ki raro: a partly hand-woven installation evoking a pūrakau (narrative) related to traditional weaving.
· Luke Shaw, Immemorial and thus a future: a sculpture and sound installation inspired by the first telegraph line in Aotearoa and the memorialisation of a British engineer associated with it.
· Ming Ranganui (Te Ati Haunui-a-Paparangi), Bibbidi Bobbidi Booo: a glinting wand that she says “represents a supernatural solution to impossible tasks, a fairy godmother to relieve us from our reality.”
· Mike Hewson, Hack Hoops: a makeshift basketball court in Hack Circle constructed from old, rescued materials.
· Kulimore’anga Stone Maka, Pīngao: a monumental form abstracted from the shape of a pingao seedpod.
· Julia Holderness, Figure Studies: a poster for work by a modernist artist who may or may not have existed.
SCAPE is relocating a sculpture by Darcell Apelu, Carry Me With You (2023) from Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki for audiences in the South Island to experience for the first time.
Four of the artists live in Ōtautahi (Ngaio Cowell, Julia Holderness, Stone Maka, and Luke Shaw).
In addition, SCAPE has produced murals by another four Christchurch artists on the outside of Christchurch Casino.
The SCAPE Season gives opportunities to creative children and young people locally, by showing photographic work by a 3rd year student from the University of Canterbury’s Ilam School of Fine Arts and turning public art designs into reality for five competition-winning school students.
“We hope people will take advantage of the free walking tours, art bike ride, artist talks, and other activities we have planned for Summer. You can follow the footpath arrows or our art maps around the loop.”
SCAPE Public Art maps are available from each art site, libraries and council service centres, and from SCAPE volunteers. The map includes SCAPE’s permanent public artworks. “For residents, it’s easy to forget how much the cityscape has changed, with distinctive public art. Christchurch stands out as an art destination,” Richard Aindow says.
SCAPE is a not-for-profit charity and relies on grants, sponsorship, donations, art sales, patrons and supporters. The SCAPE Season is made possible by a large family of sponsors, including four Platinum Sponsors: Christchurch City Council, Creative NZ, Rātā Foundation, and The Lion Foundation.