SHAPESHIFTER

The Rotary Club of Hutt City’s annual Shapeshifter sculpture exhibit took place for three weeks ending March 16th. The sculpture exhibit runs as part of Wellington biennial arts festival (Hutt city is on the Northern end of the Harbour on the Hutt River.) and attracted over 5,000 paying adult visitors. It is the biggest fundraiser for hospice, the arts and youth.

Over $1 million worth of sculptures came from artists all over New Zealand and were installed throughout a park in the middle of town, an almost forgotten public space. The Civic Gardens were hence transformed for three weeks by the Shapeshifter Sculpture event.

Yet its transformative effects will last much longer. By installing permanent fence pillars with removable fencing material around the Civic Gardens, the park is now set to handle more such events. A local paper wrote that it was a park long forgotten by members of the community. It was great to be part of its revitalization and see it as a source of renewed civic pride.

Angie and Jim pitched in their help from everything to erecting the fence, to helping transport and install sculptures, to bartending at the opening gala, as well as take shifts running the entrance table.

We’ll post more pics soon to show how sculpture and art are displayed throughout the Wellington area. It really is amazing to see a city put so much art and creativity into its public spaces.