Media Release
13 February 2017
For Immediate Release

Common Ground Festival Calling for Samples of Local Groundwater for Art Installation

Common Ground: Hutt Public Art Festival is calling for samples from Hutt Valley residents of their local groundwater! Citizens are invited to get its quality tested and contribute to a new art installation ‘Citizens’ Water Map Lab’ by visual artist Julian Priest.

Hutt Valley residents are invited to bring in a plastic milk bottle filled with groundwater from their local stream, river, well, bore or even puddle, to the front desk of The Dowse Art Museum from Monday 30 January. They can book in to get it quality tested, and see it become part of a glowing public art work forming a map of Hutt Valley water quality, to be exhibited at 152 High Street, Central City Plaza from 25 February.

Priest has already been working with a number of local groups in the collection and testing of groundwater, including Friends of the Waiwhetu Stream, Friends of the Hutt River, and Enviroschools and hopes to get samples from all across the Hutt Valley. The public contributions of water from across Hutt Valley are critical to the work.

“It’s as much about people being able to take ownership of water quality issues as it is about the sculpture,” says Priest. “This illuminated, glowing installation will give you some indications about the water quality, but the participation is always key.”

Priest was partly inspired to create the installation by the dramatic events in Havelock North, which showed our relationship with clean water is to be cherished. The Hutt supplies the entire Wellington region with water. In the Hutt Valley our artesian water is celebrated for its quality, but as citizens we don’t always think about where our water comes from and how it ends up coming out of the tap. Citizens’ Water Map Lab invites everyone to get involved in mapping the water quality of the region, from small streams to the large aquifer that runs underneath the valley.

DETAILS ON HOW TO GET INVOLVED

HOW: Bring a 2L plastic milk bottle (well-washed) filled with groundwater from a local source.

WHERE: The Dowse Art Museum, 45 Laings Rd, Lower Hutt. Speak to any FOH staff member.

WHEN: 10am – 5pm, from Monday 30 January - Friday 24 February Common Ground is presented in partnership with Hutt City Council, with funding from Hutt City Council, Creative New Zealand and the Chartwell Foundation.

The Festival will take place from 25 February – 4 March 2017.

Visit www.commongroundfestival.org.nz for more information.

/ENDS

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