Catchment Artwork formally opens 18 May

A colourful geometric artwork which has replaced an out-of-date advertising sign in the Lower Hutt CBD is being blessed and formally opened at an event on 18 May.

Titled Catchment the artwork is on the south side of the building at 4-12 Laings Road and replaces the Raine and Horne sign that was there for nearly three decades.

Lower Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace says, “Finally we have an artwork that is an exciting and dynamic welcome into the CBD, and something that Lower Hutt should be proud of on this prominent space. I thank the artist David Brown, for his creativity and ability to work at height and also the team who worked on this rather tricky project.

This is the first artwork in a new series of art projects planned as part of our Making Places strategy. Making our central business district a place of cultural, social and economic vitality is one of the goals of this strategy.”

The 18m by 8m artwork represents how natural and human-made structures like fences, compartments, rooms, or rivers control the movement of humans and animals and reflect or create power imbalances. Catchment also incorporates historical elements such as the brick and roof tile colours and architectural details from the Methodist Church formerly on the corner of Laings Road and Queens Drive.

Artist David Brown is from Wellington and has been working professionally as an artist since 2006. His style is colourful, geometric and abstract. He produces both installations and paintings and has a studio at Toi Pōneke Arts Centre.

One of the main challenges in developing the artwork, aside from its height and size, was finding an artwork that would work with the wall’s six prominent windows. Brown has made these windows a feature in his design.

ENDS

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