Invercargill’s inner city will soon feature a funky ‘open air’ art gallery.
Hi Vis – The Art of Construction is set to transform the building site of ILT’s new hotel, The Langlands, into an art exhibition.
In response to the loss of several gallery and exhibition spaces in Invercargill, the Southland Art Foundation initiated discussions with Invercargill Public Art Gallery (IPAG) and Southland Museum and Art Gallery (SMAG) to conceptualise unconventional ways to bring pieces in their respective collections out of storage for the public to enjoy.
With the resulting initiative jointly funded by ILT and Creation Signs, Southland Art Foundation chair Lyndal Ludlow was delighted to see the Hi Vis project come to fruition.
“The large expanses of construction fencing necessary for ILT’s new hotel seemed a perfect canvas. Although the construction activity will be fascinating, the opportunity to turn the site into an art gallery is really exciting,” she said.
“Vibrant, contemporary works exhibited on the fencing will add colour, interest and no doubt conversation to the site as the hotel emerges from behind.”
ILT president Alan Dennis said it reflected the organisation’s long-standing commitment to the arts community.
“We provided a blank canvas on the Kelvin Hotel for the creation of Mia, one of the tallest street art murals in New Zealand, and it’s certainly had a wonderful impact on our city. We’re looking forward to seeing another dimension of vibrancy added to this area during the construction phase of our latest hotel,” he said.
Described as a bright, bold multi-image expo, the Hi Vis exhibition will deliver largescale reproductions of artworks from the three local collections. Showcasing some of New Zealand’s significant artists, it’s a blend of historical and contemporary artworks.
“It will be an adventure for everyone to discover and enjoy while exploring our city,” Ludlow said.
Invercargill company Creation Signs has been tasked with making the 2-D artworks a reality.
“They really leapt at the chance to be involved and their expertise has been invaluable,” Ludlow said.
The end result will be displayed on the fences and inside the walk-thru containers at construction site on the corner of Don and Dee streets.
The collaborative project has also been supported by Creative Communities Invercargill, Leighs Construction and Traffic Management Services Ltd.