The Arts Foundation presents The Wynyard Quarter Arts Series
Wynyard Quarter Arts Series, 25 Nov to 11 Dec, Auckland Waterfront;
"The Wynyard Quarter Arts Series was created by the Arts Foundation so that the public could engage with the Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand Arts Awards. Visitors to the waterfront had the opportunity to enjoy and participate in a range of free non-exclusive art related events and activities. The series provided a platform to showcase New Zealand artists and highlighted the importance of The Arts Foundation's role in raising money for the arts in New Zealand" said Arts Foundation Chair, Fran Ricketts.
The Series kicked off with Arts Foundation Laureate Alastair Galbraith's extraordinary Wires project. On 25 November Alastair attached a wire to the side of a large silo at the west end of the Wynyard Quarter, using the wire to turn the silo into a sound chamber.The event was captured by Nick Atkinson from Radio New Zealand National's the Music Mix, listen here .
An Arts Foundation Information Hub, in a red container located next to the Viaduct Events Centre, was open during the series. People learnt about Arts Foundation Awards recipients by viewing the TVNZ 7 series, The Artists on LG smart TVs.
Events included Silo Cinema; featuring films, short films and music videos Oscar Kightley and Florian Habicht. Films by Taika Waititi had to be cancelled due to bad weather. The films were screened onto the side of a large Silo. New Generation recipient Warren Maxwell brought his band Little Bushman to Silo Park for a free outdoor concert that was well attended.
Eight writers donated phrases or poems for display in the Wynyard Quarter throughout the series. Words were located on silos, historic red doors and a fishing boat. Writers included Arts Foundation Icons Patricia Grace and Hone Tuwhare, Laureates Kate de Goldi, Elizabeth Knox, Emily Perkins, Bill Manhire and Ian Wedde and New Generation recipient Eleanor Catton.
Arts Foundation Icon Margaret Mahy's poem, Down the Back of the Chair featured in an interactive children's sandpit. In the poem ‘Dad' finds all kinds of wonderful treasures down the back of the chair. The poem is illustrated by inaugural Mallinson Rendel Illustrator's Award Recipient David Eliott. Twelve of the characters drawn by David from the poem were hidden under the sand in the sandpit. Children dug in the sandpit to find the characters. The sandpit was built by Arrow International.
A series of free evening events featured artists awarded at the Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand Arts Awards presenting elements of their work and discussing their practice. Talk Box in the Stoneleigh al fresco pop up bar ran from December 7 - 11.
The Arts Foundation is very grateful to Auckland Waterfront for supporting our programme of events in celebration of the Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand Arts Awards.
Above image:
Marti Friedlander (Icon) - Coromandel Beach 1967
