We are excited to ;launch the third iteration of our Spotlight series – introduced a new roster of artists to illuminate the city after dark with their striking artworks!
The first work to come to life for Spotlight 3.0 is Monti Masiu’s ‘api – a circular image that reflects the artist’s exploration of his Tongan heritage, inspired by the traditional forms and iconography of ngātu (bark cloth) and tatatau (tattoo), and centred around the symbolic importance of the kava bowl, representative of community. The image builds outward through numerous layers of sepia-toned circles and imagery, the work is at once honoring of tradition and something new.
That newness is made apparent in the collaborative aspect, Nicholas Keyse from Immersive Reality bringing the static image to animated life, producing a kaleidoscopic effect that suggests new forms and possibilities as it slowly reveals Masiu’s image. The revolving image is mesmirising as it plays out, slowly filling an increasingly large section of wall before receding again and eventually disappearing before playing through again, the loop reflective of the stories passed through generations, linking us to ancestors and our future.
This is a work that needs to be seen in person, so head down to the Colombo Street exterior of Te Pae – Christchurch Convention Centre after dark and take it all in…
Stay tuned for the next Spotlight work in the coming weeks!
Spotlight 3.0 is made possible with funding from the Christchurch City Council’s Place partnership Fund, with additional support from Rau Paenga Ltd, Phoenix PDP and Ōtautahi NZ.
The fourth installation of this female-centric Spotlight series, Ōtautahi artist and designer Jimirah Baliza’s Get a Grip, is a playful invitation to passers-by; an invitation to pause and immerse ourselves in a scene that transcends our immediate experience. The animated depiction of a retro arcade claw machine embodies the unpredictable nature of life, reminding us that it is often filled with both anticipation and uncertainty, ups and downs, near misses and satisfying successes. Anyone who has played such a game knows the hope, the excitement, the calculation, the frustration, and ultimately either the disappointment or the elation of the challenge. Drawing on this universal connection, Baliza presents a whimsical moment of candy floss pink and baby blue nostalgia, transporting us back to a time of innocence and wonder, where the act of winning a prize was a heart-pounding adventure.
Get a Grip plays through the experience of the game on a loop of attempts, at first failing, the prize slipping from the metal claw, but eventually succeeding, creating a crescendo of joy following the spilled first attempts. The smile as the ‘prize’ toddles off from the machine. The prizes themselves, cheerful animal characters, serve as smiling participants in the challenge. They become echoes of community, networks of support with the ability to uplift each other. We are encouraged to keep on, to go again, to get our rewards and to revel in that success.
Jimirah Baliza is an Ōtautahi Christchurch-based independent graphic designer, illustrator and artist. Raised in Manila, Baliza is a creative problem solver at heart, with a passion for working with entrepreneurs, local businesses, community groups and organisations, enhancing their visual communications and their ability to engage, empower and educate across print, screen and space. Get a Grip was once again supported by local legend Nicholas Keyse. Pushing the limits of graphics technology while incorporating traditional techniques,Keyse founded Immersive Reality Ltd after working extensively in the print and digital design industry. Showcasing his work in exhibitions, Keyse held a solo exhibition at the Centre of Contemporary Arts’ Lux Gallery in Christchurch in 2019. Co-founder and curator of record label Subtle Recordings, he is also well-known for his prolific production of music posters with which he hopes to continue to inspire future creatives.
Spotlight – Urban Art Projections is proudly presented by Watch This Space in collaboration with ChristchurchNZ. This iteration of Spotlight proudly shines a light on the diverse work of four talented female Ōtautahi artists – exploring new possibilities for urban creativity and adding a surprising twist to the city after dark! The Spotlight 2.0 project was completed with support from the Hine te Hiringa – Empower Women Utilising FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Fund to help celebrate and empower women.
Watch This Space is proud to present Spotlight – Urban Art Projections, a project in collaboration with ChristchurchNZ that literally shines a light on local creative talent. Spotlight showcases a series of unique art works created by some of Ōtautahi’s best urban artists in collaboration with talented local animators, exploring new possibilities for urban creativity and adding a surprising twist to Christchurch after dark!
Making use of the prominent wall on the exterior of the Te Pae – Christchurch Convention Centre at the intersection of Colombo and Gloucester Streets, Spotlight projects the work of four Ōtautahi visual artists, their work brought to moving life by local digital artists. The animation gives each work a new lease of life; the mural-sized projections imbued with subtle, alluring movements that re-imagine the original productions. With a planned four installations, Spotlight has already platformed two works that have captivated and surprised passersby:
Jacob Yikes’ I will never know…
The Surrealist world of Jacob Yikes provided the first Spotlight installation back in May; the artist’s beguiling landscapes a fitting subject for this unique project. Animated by Nicholas Keyse from Immersive Reality, Yikes’ 2022 painting I will never know was animated with slowly unfurling tendrils and a rolling horizontal band of shimmering turquoise, creating an evocative, unsettling atmosphere and providing an invitation to explore this strange, unexpected landscape manifested on a central city wall, like a dream come to life. The softly moving pieces gently beckoned the viewer, requiring a double-take as more parts of the image were revealed to be alive with understated movement.
Yikes’ world-building has always suggested movement, here, this landscape was given life, while still retaining a sense of quietude and mystery. Occupying the Te Pae wall for a month, I will never know created an unexpected encounter for many walking past, a perfect starting point for Spotlight…
Dcypher’s Welcome to the City…
The second, and current Spotlight installation is Dcypher’s illustration Welcome to the City, a work that draws on the artist’s formative experiences exploring the urban environment through graffiti and skateboarding. Enduring influences, these subcultures recognise the urban landscape, and its overlooked spaces as sites for expression, transformation, subversion, and creativity. Dcypher affirms that: “The beauty that these spaces hold as inspirational layers to be interacted with is the key message of this work. I’ve always loved the look of the raw underbelly of urban architecture, the flip side of the facade, the back alleys, the fire escapes… These spots are constantly in flux as urban subcultures expand in their complexity and reach.”
Dcypher’s adventurous environment has also been brought to life by Keyse, who utilised the artwork’s layers to craft a captivating illusion. Exploring the scene’s depth by zooming in and scanning across the composition, the viewer is guided through the maze-like terrain, Keyse explaining: “As the journey unfolded, I aimed for a thought-provoking narrative to take shape, hinting that this snapshot is merely an echo reverberating across the vast expanse beyond the immediate foreground.” The movement emphasises the exploratory element, the blue-grey tone and flashing yellow lights suggesting the distinct worlds of interior comfort and exterior adventure. Welcome to the City continues Spotlight‘s mission to activate the city…
The next installation, a work by painter and illustrator Jessie Rawcliffe will be unveiled in the coming weeks – stay tuned!
Spotlight is a collaborative project between Watch This Space and ChristchurchNZ working with a collection of local creatives – let us know about your Spotlight encounters!
Winter is coming… Annnddd it’s here. Just like that the dark nights got colder and the rain more persistent. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, it happens every year, but it is still somewhat jarring when it creeps up on you, seemingly out of the blue each year. Undeniably, June is a quieter month given these circumstances, but that isn’t to say there aren’t things to celebrate, whether it is little treats of street pizza (IYKYK), or treasures to be enjoyed inside the warm confines of home. This month’s And That Was… is a compilation of the things that have kept us warm and fuzzy in the grey climes…
Dcypher x Immersive Reality for the Spotlight Project
Following up from Jacob Yikes and Immersive Reality‘s first projection piece, Dcypher and Nicholas Keyse’s work, an animation of Dcypher’s Welcome to the City illustration brought a graphic, mysterious celebration of the city’s overlooked spaces to the Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre wall. A roving adventure that acknowledges the way graffiti and skateboarding subcultures find possibility in the urban jungle, Welcome to the City suggests our surrounding environment is a stage for exploration…
Dr Suits X Cameron Hunt
This shot of Dr Suits‘ geometric mural at the Giant Cans space on St Asaph Street, taken by Cameron Hunt is a stunning view of a work that is not easily seen in totality. Capturing the full composition, this is evidence of the multiple profiles of artworks and the perception of our surroundings…
Boost Ōtautahi Launch @ Te Puna O Waiwhetu – Christchurch Art Gallery
We got along to Te Puna O Waiwhetu at the beginning of June to celebrate the range of projects fundraising via The Arts Foundation’s Boosted platform. A massive task, it was great to see the support and hear the pitches from those passionate about bringing projects to life – special shout out to our pal Bloom and her Ōtautahi Urban Gardener project!
TOYOTA – No Peace, People Mover
New music from electronic duo TOYOTA provided some driving rhythm (shitty pun alert) for June… Check out their new release, the four track EP No Peace, People Mover on Spotify…
I Think You Should Leave Season Three
I’m going to finish with my favourite thing on television – Tim Robinson’s I Think You Should Leave – a Netflix sketch comedy show that is all about awkward situations that escalate to insane amounts of cringe. I wasn’t sure anything would top the Sloppy Steaks/Dangerous Nights Crew (“this baby doesn’t think people can change”) and Brian’s Hat skits (“I’ve never fought for anything in my entire life. I’m fighting for this hat”) from previous seasons, but the first episode drops the Zip Line/Summer Lovin’ sketch and I know I can’t leave…
These were some of our favourite things in June, what about you? Let us know what kept you warm in July…
