Standing in front of an artwork in real life has power. It is not just the scale that changes our perspective, but the interaction with it in a specific location adds to historic connections, and the artist’s intentions become clearer and more relatable.
On Friday, 1 August, Art History students visited Bastion Point Reserve, the traditional site of two Ngāti Whātua Pā systems. After discussing the importance of the land and position on the Waitematā Harbour, the stages of colonial effects on Māori culture in the Ōrākei area of Auckland, as well as the famous 506-day land occupation protest, we moved on to view ‘The Lighthouse’, an artwork by Michal Parekowhai on Queens Wharf. Understanding the historic context of a contemporary artwork unlocked new perspectives and enjoyment in viewing the work.
We proceeded to view a new digital video installation by Lisa Reihana at the University of Auckland, titled ‘Māramatanga’, which embodies ideas of enlightenment and growth for students and leaders, embedding the value of sustainable practice ideas for the future while being inspired by our multicultural present and past.
The last stop on a beautiful sunny winter’s day was a short walk to the Auckland Art Gallery where we viewed ‘A Century of Modern Art’, a visiting exhibition with all the colour and expression of Van Gogh, Degas and Picasso and so many more to enjoy as well as some more contemporary offerings with real world issues like climate change at their core.