Contemporary Art - Season For Change
Mandy Barker‘s Hong Kong Soup, exhibited in 2019, demonstrates the extent of plastic in our oceans, and Charwei Tsai’s Bulaubulau, which presents alternative solutions, drawing on the sustainable practices of indigenous communities in Taiwan.
Photographer Mandy Barker collected and photographed waste debris from over 30 beaches in Hong Kong between 2012 and 2015 for Hong Kong Soup. Widely referred to as ‘Soup’, the debris - including retail, household, medical, and hazardous waste alongside agricultural, shipping, and fishing-related waste – escapes recycling or landfill and ends up in the sea, some of which is then washed up on beaches.
Barker’s manipulation of the images gives a highly aesthetic look, and the end result is a series of beautifully striking images that encourage viewers to truly pause and reflect.
Bulaubulau, Taiwanese artist Charwei Tsai’s first solo exhibition in the UK, features multi-installation, film, photography and drawings, depicting the traditions and customs of indigenous communities in Taiwan, whilst looking at the increasing impact of climate change on these areas, affected by typhoons, landslides, flooding and pollution. Charwei highlights the injustices inflicted on these communities, often caused by neglect of policymakers, and celebrates their resilience and successes in implementing sustainable economic and educational systems, as well as preserving spiritual practices and traditional knowledge.
Interested? Check out the link www.creativeboom.com...
...and remember
Be Safe
Be Kind
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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53.5% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.6% Critical thinking
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29.3% Resilience and adaptability
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2.5% Other - I will share below!
Poll: Should complete designs be shared with the public, or should the community help shape the designs from the start?
The Post recently shared an opinion piece on the Harbour Crossing and why a more democratic approach might be needed 🚗🚲👟
While most decisions sit within the political arena, many organisations—like NZTA—manage long-term projects that go beyond party lines. Politics can sometimes disrupt progress, and the next Harbour Crossing is a big decision that will affect all Aucklanders.
We’d love your thoughts: Should near-complete, shovel-ready designs be shared with the public, or should the community have a hand in shaping the designs from the start?
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81.3% Community feedback and transparency is needed.
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18.7% No. This would be impossible in practice.
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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