Climate Issues And Art Combine In Two Exhibitions
16 May 2008
MEDIA
RELEASE
Climate Issues
And Art Combine In Two International Exhibitions At Te Papa
From 5 June
In honour of the annual United
Nations World Environment Day (WED) celebrations on 5 June,
the Natural World Museum (NWM) and Te Papa are pleased to
present Moving Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the
Carbon Habit in partnership with the United Nations
Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Ministry for the
Environment, and the New Zealand Government.
Featuring the work of 27 artists representing 20 countries, the exhibition aims to generate awareness of global climate change, with an emphasis on moving towards a low carbon economy. Through photographs, paintings, sculpture, video and conceptual installations, the artists find new ways to articulate the Earth in balance, and explore new visions and choices for a sustainable world.
Curated by Randy Jayne Rosenberg of the NWM, Moving Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the Carbon Habit includes Australian artist Susan Norrie’s artwork startling video projection of environmental devastation and dream-like desert imagery by Bill Viola of the USA. Moroccan artist Mounir Fatmi questions the permanence of the city, as symbol of civilisation, with a high-rise skyline made from video cassettes that reveals vulnerability through unravelled videotape.
Visitors also
have an opportunity to see New Zealand artists’ responses
to the exhibition’s theme. Pathway to the Sea –
1991 by Ralph Hotere and Bill Culbert was a protest
against the proposed aluminium smelter at Aramoana near
Dunedin. The 13 lithographs displayed in the exhibition are
an extension of the original installation, depicting the
natural beauty of the Otago Harbour and its relationship to
the man-made world. Other works featured include Alison
Clouston’s Diamond Python 2007 and Copperhead
2007 and Geoff Dixon’s Large Takahe Diptych with
Sparrow/Found, 2008.
This
Moving Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the Carbon Habit
season in Wellington is also proudly
supported by the Wellington City Council and HP (Hewlett
Packard) through their longstanding association with Te
Papa.
Te Papa is also hosting a display from the 17th International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment. Organised by UNEP, the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment, Bayer and Nikon Corporation, the competition solicited 15,500 entries from children worldwide. Proudly supported by the Ministry for the Environment, Te Papa’s Inspiration Station on Level 4 will display 64 of the winning entries from 6 June – August 2008.
A press preview of Moving Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the Carbon Habit will be held on 4 June between 11am and 1pm, please contact Jane Keig on 04 381 7083 to confirm attendance.
Moving
Towards a Balanced Earth: Kick the Carbon
Habit
5 June 2008 – 1 January
2009
Level 4, Te Papa
Free entry
17th
International Children's Painting Competition on the
Environment
6 June – 31
August 2008
Inspiration Station, Level 4
Te Papa
Free entry
ENDS