Committee to consider temporary art installation for Anglesea St wall

New life could be breathed in Hamilton’s Anglesea St wall, thanks to a proposed temporary public art installation.

Hamilton City Council’s Operations and Activity Performance Committee will be considering whether to endorse a three-month temporary art installation for the Anglesea St wall (also known as the Wintec wall) during its meeting next Tuesday, 12 June.

The concept for the artwork, by Hamilton artist Kim Paton, is an interactive ‘mind map’, which would invite members of the public to make associations and add their ideas through a website or at a specific location. The work itself would not penetrate the wall’s surface – instead it would be created using an external grade vinyl adhesive which would be applied to the wall – and would be installed from August to October this year to coincide with Wintec’s Spark International Festival of Media, Art and Design.

Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker says the proposal for a temporary art installation for a defined period is a chance for the public to see what can be done and to gauge public response to art in this location.

“The possibility of putting art on the Wintec wall has been talked about for years. It is very exciting to see a concept developed specifically for this site coming through to the Council,” she said.

The proposed installation has been assessed and endorsed by Hamilton’s Public Art Panel, and will connect with a similar large scale drawing occurring on the window façade of the Waikato Museum.

Council has received a number of proposals for public art on Wintec wall over the years however physical constraints – including the thickness, internal reinforcement system and weight-bearing limit of the wall, and the need to maintain footpath access at its base – have meant no project has been pursued to date.  In addition to the proposed temporary project, Council staff are also working on a project brief for a permanent piece of public art for this space. There is currently no timeframe or funding attached to this potential project, however if a permanent installation goes ahead it is intended it will be an open ‘expressions of interest’ approach where the public will have opportunity to submit ideas for consideration.