Exhibition has designs on Kiwi creativity
massey-university
Wed Sep 28 2011 13:00:00 GMT+1300 (New Zealand Daylight Time)
Exhibition has designs on Kiwi creativity
Wednesday, 28 September 2011, 12:40 pm
Press Release: Massey University
September 28, 2011
Exhibition has designs on Kiwi creativity
From pop-up toasters to peerless film production – an exhibition billed as New Zealand’s biggest ever showcase of design opens tonight at Massey’s Wellington campus.
The exhibition OldSchool/New School, an art and design history of New Zealand, will be on display to the public in the Great Hall of the Museum Building from Thursday September 29. It celebrates all aspects of Kiwi design ranging from the practical application of industrial design, to the aesthetic of fashion design and the high-tech properties in communication design.
The exhibition is the highlight of the College of Creative Arts 125th anniversary and is part of the Real New Zealand Festival being held to celebrate all things Kiwi during the Rugby World Cup.
Exhibition executive producer, Associate Professor Claire Robinson, says design is the unsung hero of New Zealand industry and culture. “Designers normally just get on with their work and don’t celebrate their amazing achievements. This exhibition gives us an opportunity to showcase some of our most important designers and their successes and in the process demonstrate to the world that there is more to New Zealand than rugby and our clean, green image. We are also incredibly creative and innovative.”
Hear more of what Dr Robinson has to say and see some of the exhibits with this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBMqkjpDxe8
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
Exhibition project coordinator Luit Bieringa says the exhibition, which continues till November 5, showcases items central to New Zealand’s identity and its economic and social development dating back to 1886 when Arthur Riley opened the Wellington School of Design, a forerunner institution to the current College of Creative Arts.
“Fashion designers, artists, industrial designers, photographers, book designers. Some of the biggest names in the art design world have studied here. The school has given them the tools to go away and create their and New Zealand’s future,” he says.
“The underlying ethic of the design school is one in which people are actually making things. The end results are everything from a Zip toaster to a dress to an advertisement, to a film production studio - in the case of Sir Richard Taylor. They are all part of that practical application of art and design to the world, with the positive benefits this brings to our economy and cultural identity.”
To this end the exhibition has been loosely clustered into four categories: Design for living incorporating everyday products used in the home; design for industry comprising practical working products; design for entertainment and design for identity, including books, photography, graphics design, art and fashion.
Old School/New School, an art and design history of New Zealand is being held at the Museum Building, Buckle St, Wellington from September 29-November 5.
ENDS
Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
a.supporter:hover {background:#EC4438!important;} @media screen and (max-width: 480px) { #byline-block div.byline-block {padding-right:16px;}}
Using Scoop for work?
Scoop is free for personal use, but you’ll need a licence for work use. This is part of our Ethical Paywall and how we fund Scoop. Join today with plans starting from less than $3 per week, plus gain access to exclusive Pro features.
Join Pro Individual Find out more
Find more from Massey University on InfoPages.