We’re looking forward to the workshop Micro and temporary architecture, simple building and re-use of materials on 2 and 3 May which is being facilitated by CPIT Ignition.

Take just five minutes to browse some of the inspirations for their workshop, and you’ll be all revved-up ready to sign-up!

• Kevin Low’s Small Projects
• Chris and Ben’s SPACE MoveableRooms
• GapFiller’s Tati Design Competition and Temporary 10m2 Office
• DesignBoom’s Small Houses, Dwelle
• micro-architecture.shac.org.nz

If you need any more convincing, they’ve put together a short video that you can view here

Sign up now, as spaces are bound to fill up quickly.

Yesterday we held our SCAPE/Arts Voice Christchurch panel discussion The River of Arts: creating new ways for The Arts to work in Christchurch’s public spaces, and we were delighted to welcome more than a hundred attendees.  All of the panelists were passionate about the vital role that the arts have to play in Christchurch’s public spaces, and presented their own “take” on on how we should move forward.

• Deborah McCormick of SCAPE commented on the importance of temporary arts venues such as the Arts Circus stating “The Arts need a transitional home, and can’t wait 3-5 years for new homes to be built”.  She suggested that New York’s The High Line offers an excellent model for Christchurch.
• Anthony Leighs of Leighs Construction began by apologising for having to be the person presenting the “cold hard reality” of Christchurch’s situation.  He said “capital is going to rebuild Christchurch, and capital looks for a return” and encouraged artists to look at the best way to express the value that art will add to the city.
• CCC’s Tim Church spoke about how art can play a key role in the revitalisation of the city, and spoke about the vitality  and changeability of art and how it will play a part in the constantly changing face of the city.
• Artist Neil Dawson encouraged artists to consider the importance of temporary works.  He gave examples of a number of his works which had been commissioned as short term installations but ended up as long-term installations, highly valued by the communities with which they interacted. He said “Art is about an idea. Art is about an experience.”
• Coralie Winn of Gap Filler concluded the panel presentations, stating that Gap Filler is about “playing with the city”.  She encouraged artists to “get out and do”, and said that Gap Filler are hoping to share the skills that they have learnt through the development of their Project with others.

The evening concluded with a group question and answer session where solutions were suggested to the issues of connecting artists with property owners. A joking-but-maybe-serious suggestion was made that a speed-dating night be arranged between Christchurch artists and property owners. Who knows?

Thank you to our sponsors for this event: CPIT, and Creative New Zealand. 

When the internationally renowned curator Biljana Ciric was recently interviewed by SCAPE’s Sophie Jones she encouraged us to collect ideas, the element of art that she considers most important, rather than the common activity of collecting paintings and installations.

Biljana made positive comments about the role of SCAPE and public art in Christchurch’s current circumstances.  She said that the  ”role of the public space is crucial in situation like this” and continued ” I always say that sites are not important, the most important thing is the idea and the message that you want to share through your project.”

She concluded the interview by stating that she believes that artists are very important for our culture since they are the ones who keep challenging us, the way we see the world and our expectations. She plans to further investigate this opinion in the public talk she will be giving this Monday 23rd as part of the SCAPE Public Art Development Workshop.

For the full interview with Biljana, please follow this link…

Saturday marks the first date in four days cram-packed with public talks and panel discussions for Christchurch’s art community.  See you there!

21 April – Outer Spaces Public Programme – Professor Mark Burry – New Onto Old 

22 April – Outer Spaces Public Programme – Shigeru Ban – Architects: works and humanitarian activities

23 April – SCAPE Public Art Development Workshop – Biljana Ciric – The Public Sphere: Strategies of Involvement

24 April – SCAPE Public Art Development Workshop – Panel Discussion – The River of Arts: creating new ways for The Arts to work in Christchurch’s public spaces

We’re thrilled to announce that Resene are sponsoring our new project the “Resene art in the streets SCAPE Christchurch murals.”

Attendees at the SCAPE Public Art Development Workshops will be given the opportunity to design an outdoor mural for installation on a high-profile Christchurch site. More details to come…

In the meantime, however, we’re looking for some fantastic sites on which to locate the murals.  If you’ve got some ideas, check out the criteria for consideration, and then if your location seems suitable, contact deborah@scapebiennial.org.nz

REMINDER: Don’t forget to put the free Public Talk by Biljana Ciric and the panel discussion The River of Arts in your diary for 23 and 24 April.

SCAPE, Creative New Zealand and The Asia NZ Foundation are bringing Biljana Ciric, an independent Shanghai-based curator, to Christchurch for the SCAPE Public Art Development Workshop (23-24 April).

As part of the workshop, Biljana will present a public talk - “The Public Sphere: Strategies of Involvement” at CPIT’s Te Puna Wanaka in Coventry Street from 6-7.30pm on 23rd April.

Biljana Ciric, International Speaker

Biljana is highly regarded internationally. She held the role of Director of the Curatorial Department at the Shanghai Duolun Museum of Modern Art  and presented her ambitious ongoing project Migration Addicts at the 52nd Venice Biennale in the 2007 Collateral Events.

Biljana’s talk will consider the transition of public space in China from its place in traditional culture to the appearance of public monuments during the Mao era and through current commercialisation of the public sphere.

She will focus on the changing relationship between artists and the state, and will introduce recent artists who are working to rebuild the public realm through innovative artist-initiated projects.

This is a public event to which all are welcome.

Entry is free of charge.

For further information and updates, please go to www.scapebiennial.org.nz/publictalk

Generously supported by: Creative New Zealand, Asia New Zealand Foundation. Venue presenting partner: CPIT Ignition. With contributing support from: University of Canterbury, Design and Arts College of New Zealand, CPIT.

SCAPE and Arts Voice Christchurch invite you to to attend a panel discussion – The River of Arts: creating new ways for The Arts to work in Christchurch’s public spaces

Tuesday 24 April 2012, 5.30pm – 7pm at Te Puna Wanaka, CPIT, Coventry Street, Christchurch. 

Panel Chair – Blair French, 7th SCAPE Curator

Panelists – Coralie Winn (Gap Filler), Neil Dawson (artist), Deborah McCormick (SCAPE Director), Anthony Leighs (Leighs Construction), Tim Church (Urban Designer, Boffa Miskell and member of the Urban Design panel of the CCC)

This is a free public event to which all are welcome.

For further information please visit www.scapebiennial.org.nz/paneldiscussion

Generously supported by: Creative New Zealand, Asia New Zealand Foundation. Venue presenting partner: CPIT Ignition. With contributing support from: University of Canterbury, Design and Arts College of New Zealand, CPIT

Canterbury artist Wayne Youle has been awarded the SCAPE Christchurch/Artspace Sydney artist residency.

Wayne has a broad repertoire of skills ranging from photography…

Wayne Youle, "Pania, Pania Who...", digital photograph (2007), private collection. Image courtesy of The Artist and Tim Melville Gallery.

to painting, sculpture, ceramics and bronze casting. He  is well-recognized in Christchurch for his recent work, a giant shadow board mural in Sydenham, Christchurch with Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu and Gap Filler which was inspired by memories of his grandfather’s tool shed.

Youle will spend twelve weeks at Artspace, Australia’s leading international residency-based contemporary art centre between August and November this year. He will also receive return flights, domestic travel within Australia, the opportunity to give a public presentation of his work via the Open Studio@Artspace programme and a SCAPE public talk upon his return to New Zealand.

Wayne says “The residency…will surely be important in my career and the future of my work.  I look forward to the time in Sydney and am humbled by the selection.”

If you’re a Christchurch-based visual arts student or an emerging or mid-career artist, SCAPE are running a free Public Art Development Workshop on 23 and 24 April at CPIT’s  Te Puna Wanaka.

The workshop programme will present critical aspects involved in realising public art in Christchurch in the current environment.  Areas covered will include new opportunities in the transitional city; exploring sites, budgets, contracts and approvals; sponsorship and public funding.

The international guest speaker at the workshop will be Biljana Ciric, a Shanghai-based independent curator and writer. Confirmed speakers presenting at the workshop include: artists Neil Dawson and Darryn George; Kate Montgomery – Senior Arts Advisor, Creative New Zealand; Coralie Winn – Gap Filler; Hugh Nicholson – Principal Urban Designer, Christchurch City Council and Carole Anne Meehan and Ana Invanovic-Tongue from the Auckland Council Public Art Team. Members of the SCAPE Team will also present their working models.

Further information can be found be visiting www.scapebiennial.org.nz/reactivate.  Registrations can be made by emailing jo@scapebiennial.org.nz

Presented with the generous support of Creative New Zealand and the Asia New Zealand Foundation.Venue presenting partner: CPIT ignition.  With contributing support from: Canterbury University, CPIT and the Design & Arts College of New Zealand. 

There is less than a month left for Canterbury-based professional visual artists to get their applications in for the inaugural SCAPE Christchurch/Artspace Sydney Artist Residency.

Applications close on 24 February 2012

For guidelines and an application form go to www.scapebiennial.org.nz/residency

Generously supported by: