Tuesday 16 April 2013

Cloaking device appears on Colombo Street

Artist Mike Hewson might be real but his art is un-real. The artwork being installed on the walkway spanning between The Crossing and Ballantynes buildings on Colombo Street is not even easy to spot. That’s because “Deconstruction” as the artwork is called is a meticulous site specific panel that will shroud the walkway structure to hide it from view.

The digital print on a vinyl skin has an image of blue sky in between two buildings that mirrors the edges of the two building the bridge spans. So at a quick glance you won’t see a bridge at all but just sky. The opposite side of the bridge is another work called “Low Cloud”.

“Christchurch’s visual skyline has changed so much over the last few years – where buildings once were, now we see space and sky. So I have applied this to the bridge – where there exists a concrete structure, instead you will see space and sky,” says Mr Hewson.

“The bridge in this environment spans between the functioning, Ballantynes and the Re-Start Mall, and the non-functioning, the old Bus exchange and the start of the Red Zone.

“I like to play with the way people see things and like to challenge viewers to reconsider how they see an object, space or environment.

“The visual of the sky feels weightless, so looking at the bridge and seeing sky makes the concrete structure seem not so heavy.”

Carolyn Ingles Urban Design and Regeneration Unit Manager says it’s great to have art like this popping up all over the city.

“Mike’s already done some fabulous work here in Christchurch – you will remember the images that went up on the Cranmer Courts building where it felt like you were looking in the windows and actually seeing people in the building. And this new installation will be equally as intriguing. Not only can the bridge not be used, but he has now made it virtually disappear. It’s as if someone’s engaged a cloaking device,” she says.

Deconstruction (Colombo Street) is a large artwork spanning 9m x 22m x 6m. Low Cloud (Colombo Street) is 2.9m x 22m.

The artwork is being installed now and, weather dependant, is likely to be ready on Saturday 20 April 2013. Lighting will also be installed so that it can be seen at night.

-ENDS-

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