#WishYouWereHereChch

#WishYouWereHereChch

Cook Street | Pitt Street | Mt Eden Road | Station Road, Penrose

Artist Julia Holden’s unique public art exhibition #WishYouWereHereChch featuring 4 billboards and free postcards is now live across Auckland!

“What has happened in Christchurch could have happened anywhere in New Zealand. Using painting as the vehicle my aim is to offer the public a poetic window into the reality of this once beautiful, now utterly changed city that is in the painful process of transformation and renewal. I am delighted to bring this project to Auckland and grateful to everyone who got involved and gave their support, from the original Arts Foundation Boosted campaign donors to the businesses that have pitched in their resources to help grow this project into a truly elegant, multi-faceted social public art work.”

Holden’s artist-initiated and funded project was originally conceived as an ambitious citywide public art exhibition of 5 billboards. A project of this scale had not, to her knowledge, been attempted before and discussions with billboard companies 8 months ago assured her it would be achievable. But as luck would have it, the Auckland economy has improved so much in recent months that she was able to secure 4 of the 5 originally planned sites.

Happily, in an exciting new development, Phantom Billstickers the well-known Christchurch poster company, recently got involved and are now producing all 10 original paintings as a set of post-quake Christchurch postcards, that will be made freely available through their extensive Auckland café network. The postcards launch next week, 16 June, so look out for them at your local cafe when pick up your morning coffee!

The postcard edition brings a whole new dimension to the #WishYouWereHereChch project, creating a wonderful opportunity for people to engage with, and actively participate in #WishYouWereHereChch, connecting people via snail mail or social media. Together, billboard companies iSite, APN and Media5, and now Phantom Billstickers have helped Holden to create a fantastic art platform enabling the people of this country’s largest city to connect with their fellow New Zealanders in Christchurch.

www.juliaholden.com
Twitter: @msjuliaholden #WishYouWereHereChch
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JuliaHoldenArtist
Boosted: www.boosted.org.nz/projectswish-you-were-here

ENDS

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