Wild Creations residencies announced for 2007

Date:  11 December 2006

Three New Zealand artists – Tanya Marriot, Louise Potiki Bryant, and Tracy Duncan – have been selected to take up Wild Creations residencies in 2007.

Wild Creations is a joint artist-in-residence programme between the Department of Conservation and Creative New Zealand.

The six-week residency at one of DOC’s conservancies around the country encourages artists to create work inspired by New Zealand’s unique places and natural environment.

Designer, sculptor, and puppetry artist Tanya Marriot, from Wellington, will spend time on Maud Island observing the wildlife and environment. She hopes to develop a series of iconic characters and illustrations which will inspire stories to be used for education and exhibition purposes.

Louise Potiki Bryant, a choreographer and video artist based in Piha and of Ngai Tahu descent, will spend six weeks at Mt Cook / Aoraki. She plans to develop a work integrating dance, video and sculpture which will go on to be performed live as a solo dance work. She would also like to produce a short dance film from footage shot of this work as it is performed at Aoraki.

Nelson author and illustrator Tracy Duncan hopes to spend her residency in Kawatiri / Buller researching the stories of early settlers, particularly the Chinese who came to the area as miners in the 1860s. She plans to use this work to develop an adventure script for young readers.

The Wild Creations selection panel is made up of staff from Creative New Zealand, the Department of Conservation, and artist representatives.

Chair of the selection panel, Kerry Marshall, said after a thorough selection process the panel chose three artists it believes will meet the programme’s goals.

“We are pleased the Wild Creations programme continues to attract applications from a wide range of talented New Zealand artists. This affirms the programme’s potential, but does make the selection task all the more difficult,” Kerry Marshall said.

Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright said the Wild Creations programme offered artists an amazing opportunity by placing them in some of New Zealand’s most inspiring environments.

“One of Creative New Zealand’s key roles is to support the creative development of our artists. This is a wonderful opportunity for these three artists to use the conservation experience to inform and further develop their work.”

Department of Conservation Chief Executive, Al Morrison, said the programme aimed to help promote a wider understanding of conservation values and issues.
 
“New Zealanders have an inherent connection with their natural environment. The Wild Creations programme gives artists the chance to physically connect with elements of their natural heritage, and express their connection through producing works of art which reflects their passion for these places.”

Each year, three artists are selected to take up a six-week residency in DOC conservancies around the country. During the residency artists will be free to explore the environment and the physical and creative challenges of their chosen location.

Creative New Zealand offers a stipend of $5000 and up to $2000 for travel and materials for each artist, while DOC organises accommodation and logistical support for the artists.