28 January 2005

Poetry popping up on Auckland’s pavements

Aucklanders have been looking up with Living Room’s ‘Hang ‘n’ out’ in Vulcan Lane but now it’s time for them to keep their eyes firmly focused on the footpaths.

Popping up underfoot in various CBD locations from February 7 will be a selection of poems that will take people on a unique journey of Auckland as part of Poetry on the Pavement.

Poetry on the Pavement is a collection of New Zealand poems chosen for their special significance to various Auckland locations.

The poems, which will be temporarily stencilled onto footpaths, will stretch from Karangahape Road down to the Waterfront.

Poetry on the Pavement is the fourth free ‘happening’ in Auckland City’s Living Room series, which aims to get people to look at the CBD in a whole new light.

It has been curated by Paula Green, whose own collections of poetry – Cookhouse (1997), Chrome (2000) and Crosswind (2004) – have all been published by Auckland University Press.

Paula was also the New Zealand judge of the Japan Airlines International Haiku Competition in both 2002 and 2004, and has just been awarded the 2005 University of Auckland Literary fellowship.

Her job as poetry curator for Poetry on the Pavement was to select a range of poems and poetic fragments that best represented the diversity of past and present Auckland.

“The final selection brings together the point of view of local and temporary residents, tourists and travellers. It also shares personal memories which have a compelling relevance to Auckland city,” she says.

Other happenings which are lighting up the CBD as part of the Living Room series include Hang’n’Out, Secret City Scape and Sound City. Still to come are the free Open Air New Zealand Short Films and Containing Migrations.

Event organiser Pitsch Leiser says the Living Room ‘happenings’ to date have been appealing to the curiosity of the public.

“The ‘happenings’ are about discovery. They are subtle, but they are also designed to entertain and have been doing so,” he says.

Aucklanders can look out for the unique X-shaped ‘happenings’ postcards being distributed by Ambassadors to find out more about each ‘happening’.

The postcards have details about the Living Room competition, which gives Aucklanders the chance to win a $500 Shop Till You Drop voucher courtesy of Heart of the City.

The Living Room series is funded from the CBD targeted rate and is a pilot project that is part of the Auckland’s CBD Into the Future strategy, which aims to transform Auckland’s CBD into one of the world’s most vibrant and dynamic business and cultural centres.

For more details on the Living Room ‘happenings’, competition, or the CBD strategy, visit http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/council/projects/cbdproject/events.asp

Ends

Notes to the editor:

New Zealand poets featured in Poetry on the Pavement David Eggleton, Kevin Ireland, Robert Sullivan, Jill Chan, Trixie Te Arama Menzies, Janet Charman, Riemke Ensing, John Pule, Apirana Taylor, Paula Gree, Hone Tuwhare, Michael Morrissey, Jenny Bornholdt, Arthur Baysting, Konai Helu Thaman, Dinah Hawken, C.K. Stead, Murray Edmond, Anne Kennedy, Anna Jackson, Sue Fitchett, Michele Leggott, Bob Orr, Denys Trussell.

Living Room events and activities

Hang ‘n’ out 24 January - 12 February 2005 Upper Vulcan Lane

Secret City Scape Three days during full moon - February and March 2005 23-25 February – Exchange Lane 25-27 March – Alley between Shortland Street and Chancery Lane After 9pm

Sound City Friday 4 February Friday 11 February Friday 18 February 5pm onwards Vulcan Lane through to the Chancery including Freyberg Place

Poetry on the Pavement 7 February - 26 March 2005 Various locations around the CBD

Free open air NZ short films 16-18 March 2005 9pm - 11pm, Aotea Square

Containing Migrations 25 March - 8 April Outside Town Hall, Aotea Square

ENDS

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