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LETTING SPACE –
“MAKING DREAMS REALTY”

Artist says there is such a thing as a free lunch

News Release for immediate release May 13th 2010

You could end up with your lunch -or dinner- for free with the advent of a Free Store, opening at 38 Ghuznee St Wellington from Saturday 22nd May, operated by artist Kim Paton.

Paton intends to highlight the underground ‘free economy’ that redistributes produce and food around Wellington, and is currently making a call to sellers of fresh produce, as well as to cafes and supermarkets for their excess stock.

Free Store will stock a range of fresh produce and some grocery items. It will look and feel like a small, vibrant and cared for independent business but offering a range of products for free.

“What is waste?” asks Kim Paton. “One unsold apple is much the same as another that might have been sold ten minutes earlier. We define wasted produce only in terms of timing. Unsold produce does not have to be ‘wasted’ but can be made useful through re-distribution.”

She sees her store as a collection point for those who want to provide any excess stock to key social agencies.

Another aspect of Paton’s work has been in discovering the existing transfers of food that occur after trading stops. “I want to make visible the existing relationships between those food retailers who do already provide to food banks and other social agencies,” Paton says.

“It is making public the point in the supply chain that is usually unseen. I hope to raise discussion around how we define the value of a product and what we do with our waste.”

The Free Store is planned to run for a fortnight only.  Kim is looking for food retailers and restaurants who would like to become involved in the Free Store. She will be open to receiving the goods from Friday 21st with the store open for shopping on Saturday 22nd.  Kim can be contacted through [email protected].

Letting Space is a visual arts project funded by Creative New Zealand and the Wellington City Council, which through discussions and exhibitions seeks to transform the relationship between artists, property developers/ owners and their city. As the effects of a recession on the property market continue to be felt, Letting Space explores creative ideas for the use of vacant commercial space, be it a shop, office block or apartments. The Letting Space series is curated by Sophie Jerram and Mark Amery.

DETAILS:

Free Store

Kim Paton

38 Ghuznee St

open 22 May -6 June 2010

Mon-Sat 10am – 6pm

For more information: www.lettingspace.org.nz

More about Kim Paton

Kim Paton is a fine arts graduate of Massey University Wellington who has had major work appear recently at the Govett-Brewster, New Plymouth, Adam Art Gallery, Wellington and at City Gallery Wellington as part of Prospect 2007. She has been running a grocery store in the Waikato for the past three years.

Tags: art