Splore 2010 | Art Trail
An interactive visual art programme, designed to challenge and stimulate its audience, will take centre stage at the eighth Splore festival, from February 19th – 21st. The biennale three-day summer festival at Tapapakanga Regional Park is renowned for integrating creative disciplines. Under the direction of new Art Curator, Shea O’Neill, this year’s art programme will see eye catching installations, spill over from ‘The Art Trail’, and weave throughout the site, allowing artworks to merge with the stunning natural setting of woods, beach and sea. Designed as site specific interactive artworks, the art displays are by a diverse cross section of contemporary New Zealand artists, including architects, film makers, painters, writers, video artists, sculptors, photographers, spatial designers and performance artists. To complement the overall aesthetic feel of the festival, the projects have been chosen for their interactivity and innovation.
Speaking of the Splore 2010 programme, O’Neill said “In response to the unique challenges of the Splore environment, this year’s eclectic line up of talented artists have pushed the boundaries of art and technology, to produce an interactive art adventure, that will open your mind, warp your senses and enlighten your imagination. Expect retro, future, giant, neon, steam-punk, cycle-powered, nude, time travelling, pop art, multimedia, experimental, interactive, FUN.
It may sound utopian, a place where music, art and nature merge to inspire a weekend of joyous celebration but Splore is rapidly becoming known as one of the most energetic and inspirational multi-media contemporary arts events in the country. Amongst this year’s artists are acclaimed interdisciplinary artists; Christian Nicholson and Brydee Rood, painters; Liam Moore and Tracey Tawhiao, sculptors; Chris Hargreaves and Stuart Forsyth, multimedia artists; Naomi Lamb, Nikki Hastings-McFall, and sound artist; Fraser Bruce.
Splore 2010 will also mark the return of Cut Collective to the festival. The group is made up of six like-minded individuals with varied personal histories in art making, who worked spontaneously and informally together over a number of years, before forming Cut Collective. In 2008, their festival work featured a number of large scale interactive 3-d puzzles that received a positive response from festival goers.
This time round, Cut Collective have teamed up with architect Jasper Middleton, and employed optical trickery, to push the idea of painted sculpture even further. Collective member, Regan Vause says, “For Cut Collective, Splore is a perfect chance for us to push our own boundaries and take the opportunity to work with artists from different disciplines. In this case, working with Jasper, we are creating a painted architectural sculpture. This is something we have wanted to explore for a while now, and Splore is the exact excuse we needed to make something happen.”
Another Splore artist, Martin Horspool creates robots from disused household objects, collected from kerb sides, car boots, markets, scrap yards, antique shops and auction houses. Over the last two years, he has built and exhibited over 70 ‘RETROBOTS’ of all shapes and sizes, but this year at Splore, he has had to up-size his robot ideas for his largest robot ever.
Combining visual arts and live performance, with community interaction and environmental consciousness, means Splore isn’t as much a festival as a life experience, says Splore founder and director Amanda Wright. “We have 8000 people from all over the country and globe flock to Tapapakanga Regional Park. It really is an idyllic spot for this type of event, just 70km south east of Auckland, on the Hauraki Gulf, where 200 year old trees, entwine with interactive art installations. The awesome location creates this relaxed environment you can immerse yourself in for a few days with your friends, in amongst great music, performance and art.”
What: Splore 2010
When: February 19th – 21st
Where: Tapapakanga, 70km south east of Auckland.
Ooooh wi can’t wait.
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