Art to Go Up in Smoke at the Petone Winter Carnival

The Petone Foreshore will be transformed into a unique public art gallery for the Petone Winter Carnival on Saturday 19 July. Five prominent New Zealand sculptors will be creating fire sculptures on the beach which will go up in smoke at dusk in a blaze of flame and colour.

Each sculptor will be given the same set of combustible materials to work with including timber, plywood, corrugated cardboard and No. 8 wire as well as the element of fire and will have just eight hours to create their different responses.

The sculptures will be constructed on platforms at low tide mark, so as the sky darkens and the sea returns, the sculptures will be set ablaze creating flaming artworks surrounded by water. The sculptures are being commissioned for the event by E Tu Awakairangi Hutt Public Art Trust.

Trust spokesperson Allan Brown says, “The E Tu Awakairangi Hutt Public Art Trust is thrilled to be presenting new work from top New Zealand sculptures in such a visually exciting and accessible medium.”

“Fire sculpture is still new to New Zealand despite its international popularity. This is an art event breaking new ground and we expect the inaugural E Tu Fire Sculptures will become a highly anticipated annual show, as popular among artists as the public.” He says, “The Petone Winter Carnival is a fascinating opportunity for the public to watch the artists at work on the beach all day, and then when the fire sculptures are lit at night there will be some wonderful reflections on the water.” “Come on down because stunning new sculpture created before your eyes combined with the visual excitement of fire will be a great way to warm a winter’s day!”

Participating sculptor Davey McGhie says, “The concept of a legal flare up on Petone Beach is a great one. As a participating artist I am excited by having to think like fire, design and construct a sculpture on the beach in a day then burn it at high tide. The temporary sculpture fits well by exposing and challenging the public to the changing nature of today’s contemporary sculpture.”

Team-mates Grant Corbishley and Emil McAvoy say that, “The E Tu Fire Sculptures will give us the opportunity to extend our ideas in the 3D form further and experience the creation of the sculpture and its change or even disappearance in a totally unexpected way.”

The Petone Winter Carnival takes place on Saturday 19 July and is an afternoon and evening of community celebration capped by the Pelorus Trust Fireshow – a 15 minute fireworks display over Wellington Harbour set to music simulcast on Classic Hits 90FM.

Other highlights of the festival include the Mitre 10 MEGA Petone Polar Plunge at 2.30pm, performances by Chris Devious, Mr Fungus and the Thrills Circus Performers, circus and drumming workshops, an exhibition at the Petone Settlers Museum featuring stand-out photographs from the archives of The Dominion Post and a regional digital photography competition judged by a panel of the newspaper’s photographers.

Timetable

9:00am – 5:00pm Artists at work
6:00pm – 7:30pm Sculptures set alight

The Petone Winter Carnival on Saturday 19 July is proudly sponsored by Pelorus Trust, Classic Hits 90FM and Mitre 10 MEGA, and organised by Hutt City Council’s Leisure Active Business Unit.

For further information on the Carnival visit www.wintercarnival.co.nz.

Postponement day: Sunday, 20 July.