Sweet Artwork for Botanic Gardens

MEDIA RELEASE

12 December 2012

For immediate release

Sweet Artwork for Botanic Gardens

Installation of a large-scale artwork by internationally renowned Mexican artist Héctor Zamora in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens will be complete this weekend.

Muegano is intended to generate reflection on the role of the traditional house structure in Western culture and also comment on inner-city living and urban density. Its multi-faceted, crystalline shape has been inspired by the form of snowflakes and by that of a special Mexican sweet made out of cornflakes and sugar, after which the artwork is named.

Muegano was envisioned by Zamora following a visit to Christchurch in 2009 where he reflected on the architecture of houses in the Christchurch suburbs. Zamora noted “many of (the houses) have the classic western shape of the house that everybody knows and (children) draw; roof with two inclinations, four walls, windows and door at the front.” He saw this “classic western shape” repeated in the pre-fabricated greenhouse frames that are readily available in hardware stores, and specified them as the major structural components in Muegano.

The artwork was conceived by Zamora for the 6th SCAPE Public Art Christchurch Biennial in 2010, however its installation was halted in the early stages of construction by the Christchurch earthquakes. Following the earthquakes, the original location in Victoria Square became inaccessible and the artist, having personally survived the 1986 Mexico City earthquake, was sensitive to how Christchurch people might feel about the artwork and its tumbled appearance. The passage of time, and a new location in the lake next to the Information Centre and children’s playground in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, have allowed both the artist and SCAPE Public Art to be satisfied that the artwork is situated in a fitting space and that its message will be received as intended by the artist; as a comment on construction and urbanism in local culture.

“We appreciate the opportunity to be involved in the installation of Muegano” says Scott Watson from Naylor Love who are the major sponsors of the project. “Any form of construction is a joint effort, and we thank our staff for their enthusiasm, our subcontractors for their involvement and encourage other businesses to play a part in supporting the arts.”

Héctor Zamora was born in Mexico City and now lives in São Paulo, Brazil. He is known for his interventions which are based on thorough research into the history of its inhabitants’ collective memory, myths and desires. In 2009, Zamora created a fictitious zeppelin fly-over of Venice entitled Making Worlds for the Venice Biennale. As part of this intervention, Zamora wedged a life-sized zeppelin between buildings in the busy Arsenale, created a video documentary of the zeppelins flying over St Marks Square and worked with local street vendors and artists who helped him to create an imaginary air balloon celebration in posters, postcards, and in street art.

Jenny May of Heritage Management Services, a sponsor of the project, says “I am delighted to be associated with this project and commend the artist Héctor Zamora, the SCAPE Public Art Team and construction partner Naylor Love for their tenacity and efforts to have this wonderful work finally come to fruition – it has been a long journey! Muegano is an art installation formed of stacked up glass house frames. The artwork’s form is so appropriate for our Botanic Gardens and I am delighted to see this work installed in the Gardens in time for its 150th year of celebrations – a great combination of heritage and contemporary culture.”

Deborah McCormick, Director of SCAPE Public Art says “we are delighted that Muegano will be located where so many visitors to the Botanic Gardens, and especially young families visiting the children’s playground, will be able to see it. We’re especially pleased that it will be installed for the Botanic Gardens’ celebratory year in 2013, a period of special events, creative activities and experiences for Christchurch people and visitors to the city.”

Héctor comments “there is now a new resonance for the artwork with the greenhouse frames being located in the Botanic Gardens. Change has brought a new added dimension to the artwork.”

Zamora received a bachelor’s degree in graphic design from Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, Mexico City in 1998. His solo exhibitions include Inconstância Material, Luciana Brito Gallery, 2012; White Noise, Auckland Arts Festival, New Zealand, 2011; Paraísos Ofrecidos, El Eco, Mexico City, 2011; and Errante, Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, 2010. Zamora’s work has also appeared in group exhibitions worldwide, including Resisting the Present: Mexico 2000/2012, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, France, 2012; 32° Panorama da arte Brasileria, São Paulo, 2011; Liverpool Biennial, UK, 2010; 53rd Venice Biennial, Italy, 2009; 27th São Paulo Biennial, Brazil; 9th Havana Biennial, Cuba, 2006; and Eco: Arte Mexicano Contemporáneo, Reina Sofía, Madrid, 2005.

SCAPE Public Art will be running an education programme as part of a series of events around Muegano’s launch and installation. For further information please visit www.scapepublicart.org.nz.

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Naylor Love staff lowering the concrete foundations for "Muegano" into Kiosk Lake in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens earlier this week. Photo: Bridgit Anderson

ENDS

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