“Are you being looked after?” is a project by Otautahi Korerotia (OK), being held in The (new) Physics Room, next to the Christchurch Art Gallery. OK is a space for art and education where different communities can make work and exchange ideas about and across difference. They have previously organised exhibitions and events in the Avon Loop Community Cottage.
Today’s hui was to welcome people to the space and build relationships, making the gallery more like an early human cave or Maori wharenui.
OK at The Physics Room
Participants were asked beforehand to think about a moment where a gallery, artwork, or museum had changed something for them, be that a realisation, strong feeling of power, fear, belonging, exclusion, or other motivation. These experiences were shared around the group. I spoke about feminist art, from being part of Juliet Batten’s 100 Women project in 1985, to the installation by Julia Morrison that I saw this week. After sharing food the group went on to create posters for the Gallery windows, while I headed for home on a drizzly day.
“This avant garde artistic group
base many projects in the Loop.”
Ruth's Reflections 