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LETTING SPACE

“MAKING DREAMS REALTY”

Wellington’s first Free Store opens today at 38 Ghuznee St, supplied by local retailers keen to reduce waste and provide excess stock to the community for no cost.

Artist Kim Paton, creator of the Free Store, has sourced bread from Arobake and Brooklyn bakeries, coffee from Supreme and People’s Coffee, and produce from several of Progressives’  Countdown and Woolworths supermarkets.  This stock will be displayed in the Free Store much as in any grocery store, but will be without a price.  “How hungry or restrained the customers are will be up to the individual”, says Kim Paton.

She says her journey to stocking the shop has been a rollercoaster ride. “This has been a great experiment in testing the broad mindedness of retailers.   Willing suppliers have been very intrigued about the concept -and have been willing to look at ways to remove waste from their supply and, importantly to highlight the contributions they are making to the community already,” Paton says.

Paton says her store will be a collection point for those who want to provide any excess stock to key social agencies, and will be working with existing food banks to clear anything that is left at the end of the day.

“Free Store 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,” says Paton.

Kim is still open to other food retailers and restaurants and home gardeners who would like to become involved in the Free Store. Kim can be contacted through [email protected].

The Free Store is part of the Letting Space arts series and is planned to run for a fortnight.   Shop hours are 10-6pm, Monday- Saturday until June 5th.

Kim is talking about the Free Store as part of Dialogues with Tomorrow, at Downstage Theatre, this Thursday 27 May, 5.45pm.

DETAILS:

Free Store

38 Ghuznee St

open Tuesday  25th 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.

About Letting Space

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.

To contribute goods to the store contact Kim Paton [email protected], mobile 027 6999758

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