AUCKLAND CITY COUNCIL MEDIA RELEASE

22 March 2006

Proverbs popping up on Auckland's pavements

Aucklanders are encouraged to keep their eyes firmly focused on the footpaths next time they are in the CBD - they could be walking on a proverbial piece of work.

Popping up underfoot in various CBD locations from 22 March will be a selection of popular proverbs drawn from many different cultures as part of Proverbial Auckland.

Proverbial Auckland is the second 'happening' in Auckland City's Living Room series, which aims to get people to look at the CBD in a whole new light.

The installation builds on the success of last year's Poetry on the Pavement, and consists of a journey of sixty-three proverbs which will be temporarily stencilled on the footpath across various sites in the CBD. Each proverb is inscribed in its original text, as well as an English translation.

Proverbial Auckland is curated by Fleur Palmer who selected a range of proverbs that best represented the diversity of past and present Auckland.

"The final selection brings together proverbs that are beautiful, humorous, challenging, political and entertaining. We hope local residents, tourists and travellers will enjoy stumbling across them over the CBD," says Ms Palmer.

Other happenings which are enlivening the CBD as part of the Living Room series include Castles in the Sand, Morning Tea, Axminster, Pallet Maze, Multicultimedia, Living Lamps, Skeletons in the Closet and Musical Bus Stops.

Event organiser, Pitsch Leiser, says the Living Room 'happenings' aim to appeal 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.

The Living Room series is funded from the CBD targeted rate and is a key action from 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' or the CBD strategy, visit http://www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/cbd

ENDS

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