LOCAL NEWS
Grey Lynn & around celebrates Auckland Artweek2020 Perhaps our lockdowns have reminded us how art in all its forms is so valuable to our souls. Across the art world, with galleries forced to close their doors to visitors and cultural calendars of exhibitions, talks, and shows that have been cancelled, artists have been fast to find new ways to share work with their audiences online. Fingers crossed we will be out and about celebrating Artweek Auckland, in its tenth anniversary this year from 10 - 18 October. Grey Lynn & Around is one of ten precincts across Auckland where we’ve been inviting emerging artists to exhibit in available spaces around our buzzy neighbourhood. The heart of the ‘Trail’ will run from Great North Road, into Grey Lynn Village, past Grey Lynn School onto Surrey Crescent, along Richmond Road into West Lynn village, down Richmond Hill and ending at Kelmarna Gardens. (Or vice versa). Shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses will all be able to display our local art, theme their windows, stage their own events or simply paste up our poster. YOUNG AUCKLAND ARTIST WINNER OF OUR POSTER COMPETITION Our Artweek theme in Grey Lynn & Around is Papatu- anuku - Urban Flora and Fauna Trails. Here is our beautiful poster that will be the flag for our event. You’ll see it flying on billboards, in local shops and bars, on windows and walls, and on our flyer which will feature a map of all participating venues and artists. Introducing the young Auckland artist who has created our poster, Holly Schroder: “I was honoured to win the poster competition and I hope that the design inspires our community to come together to experience Artweek Grey Lynn & Around. This is an event that can help build connection through identification with others in a time of isolation
for many. After the challenging year that many people have faced, it will be exciting to experience the city brightened up with art. In Maori tradition, Papatuanuku is the land. She is a mother earth figure who gives birth to all things, including people. Reference: https://teara.govt.nz/en/papatuanuku-the-land. With the theme of this year’s Artweek being ‘Papatu- anuku, Urban Flora and Fauna Trails’, I created an artwork inspired by the native New Zealand flora, with the design having an urban sculptural twist. The design for the poster features as a still image or as a moving image GIF. In my art practice, the mediums I work in crossover between painting, sculpture and moving image projections, so naturally this design emerged having a mixture of these qualities,” says Holly. THE GREY LYNN & AROUND PROJECT TEAM The Grey Lynn & Around Project team for Papatu- anuku Urban Flora and Fauna Trails and related activities comprises board members, Jules Carroll and Sue Warren, and local resident and art enthusiast Hannah Holm. Their goal is to create a presence for Artweek2020 that reflects local community values and encourages collaboration between local creative talent and retailer and hospitality enterprises. ”We’ve looked for unrepresented artists not with dealer galleries; giving an opportunity to show their work,” says Hannah Holm, who has considerable subject expertise, local networks and credibility in the creative and arts community. “There’s been a very positive response from the artists we’ve approached - showing a broad range of visual artists, photographers, ceramicists and two sculpture installations in Kelmarna Gardens,” she says. Sue Warren brings 25 years of communications experience to the role of promoting Grey Lynn & Around and its arts and creative hub, providing a unique opportunity for the community to foster talent, and celebrate the local buzzy ‘vibe.’ “Everyone can benefit from the vision of artists during the pandemic; to help spread the message of caring for our local environment, and connect and learn from each other,” she says. “We are working with local mana whenua to learn more about the history or our area and the walking routes that have historical significance in Grey Lynn; the Great North Road ridgeline was a - to reach the Manukau Harbour long walking route used by Maori before European settlement of Auckland / Tamaki Makaurau.” Social Sustainability expert, Jules Carroll, has impeccable project management skills gained during 25 years in leadership and operational roles here and overseas. Covid-19 restrictions or not, we are planning this event to cover all eventualities with art both inside and in window fronts. We also view the overlap with elections as a great opportunity. Walk the Trail on route to your polling stations!” says Jules. PN LOCAL GALLERIES Whitespace Contemporary Art, 20 Monmouth Street Fox Jensen McCrory, 10 Putiki Street Orexart - new location to be announced! TUITUI ART SPACE, Lvl 2, 58 Surrey Crescent BSA Gallery, Browne School of Art Trish Clark Gallery, 142 Great North Road Ivan Anthony, 564 Great North Road Toi Ora, 6 Putiki Street Monmouth Glass Studio, 5 Great North Road www.greylynn-around.com
40 PONSONBY NEWS+ September 2020
PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)
