FOR THE BIRDS
Otari-Wilton's Bush, Wellington
03/03/2016 - 19/03/2016
New Zealand Festival of the Arts 2016
Production Details
As dusk falls, gather the whānau together for an adventure in the bush, at this celebration of light, flight and birdsong from the makers of 2014 Festival hit Power Plant. This time the team has been joined by New Zealand artists to create an enchanting walk-through art experience in the native forest of Otari-Wilton’s Bush.
Whether it’s our iconic kiwi or Sirocco the superstar kākāpō, Angry Birds or Twitter, we have a special connection with our feathered friends. Through ingenious use of light, sound and moving sculpture, the artists will get you thinking about the mystery and beauty of the avian world — and why it should be protected.
Take some time out from the madness of modern life to wander through the night and celebrate these wonders of nature.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- This is an all-weather event and will proceed unless you are advised otherwise.
- Please wear appropriate footwear. There are steps and hills on the walk.
- This event is great for kids, but avoid prams or strollers as the track is not suitable in parts.
- Limited free parking will be provided at Ian Galloway Park with a shuttle to the start of the walk. Please allow at least 30 minutes before your session time for this.
- If you can, use alternative forms of transport. The No 14 bus travels between Rongotai and Wilton via the central city.
Due to the steep nature of the environment for For The Birds, a separate mobility route will be available. Whilst the route does not contain steps, it is made of gravel and contains some slopes. As the route is significantly shorter, it has been set at the lower price of $10 per person. To book this route, please contact Ticketek directly via 0800 842 538. Bookings for the 8:45pm session each evening may be made online.
Otari-Wilton’s Bush
Thursday 03 Mar –Saturday 19 Mar
Except Mondays
Sessions start every 15 minutes from 8pm until 10.15pm
$19.00–$100.00
Spectacle , Promenade , Outdoor , Family , Audio (podcast) , Theatre ,
Superb creativity and ingenuity the most quirky, inventive thing I have seen
Review by Joana Simmons 04th Mar 2016
As I drive the short distance out of the city and to the green seclusion of Otari Wilson’s bush, I know I am going to be taken on a journey. We are the first session of the evening, and the other spectators of all ages gather in anticipation.
Accompanied by the cicadas, we are given a short safety briefing (which I think is very appropriate for an event brought to us by Wellington Airport) about what to expect on our 2km walk through the bush.
Along the whole path, LED lights guide the way, trees are lit up with mystical green lights and some trunks, like the mighty Rata, have red to highlight their strong, ancient limbs.
When I come to the first installation I am amazed. Little birdhouse-like structures with a rotating peg that lifts a little book and when it drops it blows air into a pipe that makes it sound like a cuckoo clock or morepork. There are about 10 of these scattered around, cuckooing at various times in various pitches. It’s from here I realize I am in a different world.
As I walk from one installation to the next, about 100-200 metres between them, my face lights up and mouth opens with child-like wonder. From origami seagulls through glowing birdcages to wooden keas wreaking havoc on a picnic table, each installation offers something different. What impresses me the most is how the music, sounds and lights are one: it’s as if the birds are actually there, in all their fluttering finesse.
A highlight for me is the educational and humorous talking eggs of extinct birds. The Huia eggs are on a campaign to stop the hunters: “It’s MY body, it’s MY beak” or “When you feel like hunting a Huia, have a cup of tea instead.”
The mighty Poukai (Haast’s Eagle) is on his own hunt for some kai, and the laughing Whekau, jokes about the Morepork being a Lesspork since it’s twice as small as it’s laughing older cousin. These well-written, memorable snippets add another layer and show what talent is involved in the creation of this exhibition.
It’s a wonderland with small things to discover in the distance and large things up close, like projections of a flock of birds using the thick bush as the backdrop. The technicalities are seamless; wires and cables hidden, music harmonises with the wind in the trees, and the staff guides you along the way silently letting you enjoy the installations or offering a cheery hello as you pass.
A whole lot of thought, planning, problem-solving and engineering has gone into this exhibition to make it the most quirky, inventive thing I have seen, and I’m comparing it with major cultural festivals and White Night Melbourne (which attracts over 500,000 people).
Mark Anderson, Jony Easterby, Kathy Hinde, Marcus McShane and Tane Upjohn-Beatson, Johann Nortje and Cameron May, Ulf Pedersen, and Esther Tew (England/Wales/New Zealand)ought to be beaming. They have made magic: a true celebration of what stunning creatures our native birds are.
Get your jacket and your sneakers and get yourselves down to For the Birds. It’s a superb showcase of New Zealand creative spark and ingenuity and a must see within the plethora of art the New Zealand Festival has to offer.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
Comments