Stunning artwork showcases future talent
A collaboration of emerging artists and designers are behind the installation recently unveiled at Wellington Institute of Technology’s (WelTec) CBD Campus. A blessing ceremony held last Friday, as part of the mid-year Creative Technologies Student Exhibitions, formally unveiled the artwork to the public, staff and invited guests.
The sculpture was created by a group of 1st and 2nd year Bachelor of Creative Technologies students. Working collaboratively together from the disciplines of Art, Cultural Design and Digital Media, the students exchanged concepts, culture and religion to create an artwork which reflects cultural diversity and self discovery, and incorporates the Toi Maori concepts of Whakawh?naungatanga (togetherness) and ?hua ake (individuality).
Created mainly out of Fijian Kauri, the piece incorporated intricate Maori and Pasifika carving and stone sculpting with painting in acrylics, graphic design and laser etching onto Perspex.
Local sculptor and WelTec Cultural Design Tutor, Barry Te Whatu, explains, “the purpose of the piece was to be inclusive and collaborative. It was designed to reflect the journey students take through different courses once they walk through WelTec’s doors. Each student added their own touch, their own ideas and unique set of skills to the piece, and together they decided on the overall concept and theme.”
The talented team of students also continued their theme of creative inclusion in their choice of location, installing the sculpture on the main wall of the student café in WelTec’s CBD campus.
“We usually exhibit art work in the gallery space on the 8th level of the CBD Campus or in the Fridge Gallery at the Petone Campus, however we thought it would be great to put it in a shared student space so that students from all of the different subjects at WelTec can enjoy it when they come to the café”, says student Andrea Murray.
