918 days ago

Taking street art to the Gallery

Darren Petry from Taupō District Council

Some of New Zealand’s street art originators are exhibiting new works at Taupō Museum from next weekend.

The exhibition “Public Access 6”, which opens on Saturday 23 October, sees the founding members of the Cut Collective, Component, Enforce1, Flox, Peepshow and TrustMe, come together to produce the latest in a series of exhibitions that began nearly 15 years ago.

Taupō Museum exhibitions officer Kerence Stephen said it was fantastic to have the Cut Collective exhibit in Taupō especially as it timed with Graffiato: Taupō Street Art Festival 2021.

“The Cut Collective are disappointed that due to the current COVID level restrictions, they will not be able to come down to take part in Graffiato. But they are glad they are able to show their work in the Museum, and I think they’d want everyone to come along and watch their fellow artists at work in the Taupō town centre over Labour Weekend.”

Cut Collective formed in the early 2000s, bringing a group together to work on collaborative projects, murals and exhibitions. Active in the Auckland street art scene, the collective began to gain recognition for their public works that typically employed spray paint and hand cut stencils. As the collaboration grew so did the ambition and soon the collective were set up in their own studio space behind Auckland’s Karangahape Road.

The collective adopted an approach that rejected the conventional pathways that artists were typically required to tread and prioritised the production and presentation of artwork that was accessible for all. As well as a focus on public space, the artists aimed to remove the barriers standing in the way for many of the public to encounter the art.

Through these efforts the series of exhibitions named PUBLIC ACCESS were created. Public Access has always addressed accessibility issues around viewing and enjoying art, while presenting studio-based work created with the benefit of space and time; luxuries not afforded the artists when they were making illegal art in public spaces.

Kerence said the works on display at the exhibition represent the focussed effort of the artists’ current studio practice.

“These are brilliant pieces of contemporary art – I urge everyone to come along to the Gallery and enjoy them,” she said.

Public Access 6 runs 23 October to 29 November at the Main Gallery of the Taupō Museum. The Museum and Art Gallery is open seven days from 10am to 4.30pm and entry is free to Taupō District residents with proof of address.

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11 hours ago

Get painting with Resene plant-based paints!

Resene

Plant-based paints are made just like normal paint but everything in the tin comes from plants and minerals.

Plus they’re Eco Choice approved with low odour and easy water clean-up, so you can paint or stain your place with ease.

Available from Resene ColorShops.
Find out more

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1 day ago

You can help grow the Waikato Community Rugby Fund

The Team from Momentum Waikato

Waikato Rugby celebrated 100 years of service to the community in 2021, but due to the pandemic the long-planned celebrations were not held until late 2022.

A highlight was a black-tie event at GloBox Arena at Claudelands where over 300 people enjoyed a wonderful night of reminiscence, remembrance, reconnection and reflection on what our national game means to the Waikato.

Many people put a lot of work into making the evening a massive success by all sorts of measures. One was fundraising $21,000 for the good of the game through auctions and donations, which has recently been transferred to the Waikato Community Rugby Fund at Momentum Waikato.

The Fund grows in perpetuity, with distributed returns only used for the benefit of the amateur community rugby, forever.

Donations to the Waikato Community Rugby Fund are always most welcome, to find out more and donate click the button below.

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1 day ago

Were you at the V8s parade?

Libby Totton Reporter from Taupō Times

The excitement was palpable on the streets of Taupō as thousands turned out to welcome the V8 Supercars roadshow to town.

In a first for Supercars, and for Taupō, all 24 Supercars drivers and their cars drove 8.5km from Taupō International Motorsport Park to Te Ātea on Taupō’s lakefront for a meet and greet with fans on the eve of the inaugural ITM Taupō Super400.

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