Brainchild of Auckland Council’s place activation manager Barbara Holloway, the Tūrama Matariki Light Show was programmed to celebrate the Maori New Year and also encourage Aucklanders to re-consider the public space between the Library and the Theatre.
Holloway says “Libraries are a universal space with no barriers to access because they are free. They are true community spaces, and those who work in libraries are the knowledge holders who want to share it, they are living Googles”.
She says “The artwork is a visual narrative that is a site specific contemporary exploration of genealogy while referencing the wider tribal narrative”.
The Lorne St site was selected with support of both the St James’ developers and Auckland Libraries. They wanted to promote the ‘conversation’ the two buildings can offer each other.
Artist Janine Williams and her husband Charles have 20 years of experience with large scale mural art, and as Ngāti Paoa was the hosting iwi for Matariki this year, Barbara Holloway connected the artist with digital mapper Daniel Davis to create a new work, to ‘activate the site’.
Watch video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoljE96PhlE
Barbara has a long relationship with urban Auckland. For many years she was the face of the Karangahape Business Association. Known for her work with artists and performers to enliven the iconic retail and nightlife strip, Barbara joined Auckland Council to direct her skill set towards the wider Central Business District. Heading The Auckland Activation Programme, Barbara and her small team are situated in the Auckland Design Office, while she reports to the City Centre Advisory Board. They are largely funded by the city centre targeted rate.
The Auckland Design Office (ADO) is Auckland Council’s ‘one-stop-shop’ on all urban design matters in Auckland. General Manager Ludo Campbell-Reid says: “Outstanding urban design is critical to Auckland becoming the world’s most liveable city. Our ambition is to become a “design-led” city – by enhancing ‘public life’, a city that walks the talk and leads by example by working alongside the Central Government, private sector, the design and development community as well as the general public to lift the bar in terms of quality design in the built environment.”
Auckland has seen growth in city centre residents, and understands the need to make the city centre a more attractive place to live as well as work. As the landscape changes dramatically and disruption occurs with the Central Rail Link build, there is a need to connect places and spaces in a way that is safe, aesthetic, enjoyable and legible. Place Activation can help to mitigate the disruption and improve citizens’ experience of place.
Activate Auckland says Place Activation is about making spaces inclusive, memorable, unified, innovative and entrepreneurial. Place Activation is planning for people's diverse activities through both the design of the built form and the programming of the space”.
This programme focuses on the city centre which is the economic powerhouse of the nation, the centre of New Zealand’s creative industries, a major visitor destination and which also has a rapidly growing residential population. The Place Activation Programme plays a key role in co-ordinating and facilitating the range of people who are busy activating and programming public space in the centre of Auckland.
http://www.charlesjaninewilliams.com/single-post/2016/07/27/T%C5%ABmara-Light-Show-Matariki-Festival
http://www.charlesjaninewilliams.com/
