State housing issues addressed in exhibition

This Home is Occupied - State housing issues addressed in exhibition

State housing has been a part of the history of New Zealand for over a century. State housing is one of this country’s major assets. It has, for most of its history, been a source of pride for New Zealanders.

The exhibition This Home is Occupied deals with issues surrounding social housing in New Zealand. It came about through ST PAUL St Gallery’s 2014 Research Fellowship, which is held by Kyoto-based Sakiko Sugawa, a cultural worker concerned with issues of social justice.

The exhibition This Home is Occupied provides access to resources about the historical background of the government’s provision of housing, changes to legislation and recent media coverage of tenant evictions.

Renowned documentary filmmaker Briar March has lent footage from her current work in progress focusing on the redevelopment and evictions in Glen Innes, Auckland.

Since 1905, when the policy was first introduced, the idea of state housing has significantly shifted alongside changes of government. It has moved from an initiative to provide workers with the opportunity to own and live in homes that they would otherwise be unable to afford, to a way of accommodating the needs of those unable to partake in the increasingly unaffordable private housing market.

Sugawa’s project in Auckland involves accompanying a group of young activists who are involved with the Tamaki Housing Group. The exhibition is just one outcome of this relationship, and came about with resources provided by members of the Tamaki Housing Group.

Ends.

Notes for Editors
What: This Home is Occupied exhibition
Exhibition dates: 30 May – 25 July 2014
Where: AUT University’s ST PAUL St Gallery, 40 ST Paul St, Auckland City
More information: www.stpaulst.aut.ac.nz

Established in 2004, ST PAUL St Gallery is a suite of purpose-built galleries and project spaces run by the School of Art and Design, AUT University. The Gallery is dedicated to the development of contemporary art and design through an international programme of exhibitions, events, symposia and publications. ST PAUL St Gallery embraces one of the primary instructions for universities in the New Zealand Education Act, that they “accept a role as critic and conscience of society.”

Sakiko Sugawa, a cultural worker and thinker, is usually based in Kyoto, where she co-founded and continues to work for Social Kitchen, 21st Century Social & Cultural Center.
The 2014 St Paul St Research Fellowship is the first in a series open dialogue-based projects, and aims to investigate the role of the cultural worker as a contributing member in community groups working for social justice, environmental issues and equal urban development.

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