SCAPE 2006 eZINE no: 6

Tena koutou. Kia ora.

SCAPE opening week was a fantastic success. The launch party on Friday September 29 at the Christchurch Art Gallery was attended by over 350 people from right around New Zealand and overseas for a night of glamour and surprises, and above all to celebrate the significant event SCAPE has become.

Saturday September 30 saw a brilliant performance by British artist Martin Creed at the Old Boys’ Theatre, Christ’s College, the inaugural Ping Pong Country night by Dutch/German duo Remco Schuurbiers and Bijan Dawallu at SOFA gallery in The Arts Centre, and the first nightly projection of Swiss artist Johannes Gees’ The Christchurch Menetekel interactive laser work on the exterior of the Former Government Life Building, Cathedral Square.

Sunday October 1 was the evening of the High Street Project’s Escape artist-run party celebrating and bringing together the SCAPE 2006 artists and public for a playful house party. This was jointly hosted by HSP and Australian Christopher L G Hill.

But the fun isn’t all over yet. Tonight, Wednesday October 4, the SCAPE 2006 director Deborah McCormick, curator Susanne Jaschko and artist Johannes Gees will discuss Public space as communal space – can art foster the development of a public sphere? at the Christchurch Art Gallery’s Philip Carter Family Auditorium, 6pm-7pm. This will focus on artworks that relate directly to the community and the way that different forms of public art stimulate audiences.

This is also the last night of The Christchurch Menetekel. To put your writing on the wall, text it to 021 024 555 05 from 8pm-12am during the performance. This is in Cathedral Square.

This Saturday October 7 sees country sounds and Ping Pong reinvigorated again with RDU98.5FM’s fabulous motivator ‘Spanky’ on the floor. This is your final opportunity to become a legal resident of Ping Pong Country, at the SOFA gallery in The Arts Centre, 8.30pm-12am.

On Wednesday October 11, John Harwick-Smith, Director of Athfield Architects, and award-winning landscape architect Megan Wraight from the landscape architecture firm Wraight & Associates, will reflect on new approaches to art in public space. John and Megan are co-designers of Wellington Waterfront’s Waitangi Park and Taranaki Warf development. This will be at 6pm at the Christchurch Art Gallery’s Philip Carter Family Auditorium.

And remember, you can continue the discussions generated by the weekend’s symposium and these talks by logging on to the SCAPE 2006 blog: http://www.scapebiennial.org.nz/blog/

No reira, nga mihi kia koutou. See you there.

Andrew Paul Wood

Editor, eSCAPE

SPONSOR PROFILE: CHRISTCHURCH ART GALLERY TE PUNA O WAIWHETU

The Christchurch Art Gallery has a vision to take a key leadership role in making Christchurch’s Cultural Precinct and Worcester Boulevard the most visited cultural tourism site in New Zealand.

Our commitment to be the hub for SCAPE’s 2006 Biennial of Art in Public Space don’t misbehave! helps to promote this vision. 19 new outdoor artworks will be sited throughout the Precinct during the six-week international biennial.

The Art Gallery hosts the indoor exhibition, presenting a challenging selection of contemporary artworks from New Zealand and international artists. The Gallery has also been the venue for the don’t misbehave! symposium, public talks and other events.

As a forum for interaction between participating artists and public, the Gallery welcomes the opportunity the biennial provides to encourage critical artistic debate and the generation of new ideas.

The Gallery looks forward to strengthening its partnership with SCAPE to bring to Christchurch new and inspiring artists who challenge the public perception of art, engage new audiences and promote debate.

Huber Klaassens

Acting Director

Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu