The artists for this year’s SCAPE 7 Public Art Christchurch Biennial have been announced at a special artist launch event on Wednesday 3 July. 

The launch was presented by SCAPE 7 Sydney-based New Zealand curator, Blair French, who has selected some of Christchurch, New Zealand and the world’s most highly regarded contemporary artists.

SCAPE 7 is a Christchurch Biennial event (27 September – 9 November 2013), which installs and celebrates works of public art by a mix of local, national and international artists. This is the seventh Christchurch Biennial for SCAPE Public Art, a not-for-profit organisation that installs ambitious, free-to-view contemporary public art at high profile sites in central Christchurch.

French’s three guiding principles for SCAPE 7 are: mobility, the unexpected and possibility. His curatorship of SCAPE 7 is informed by experiences of the changing Christchurch city environment.

The range and calibre of artists promises an event not-to-be-missed. The artists announced for SCAPE 7 will be producing new works of public art for the temporary public art walkway. These artists are:

Dan Arps (New Zealand)
Fiona Connor (New Zealand)
David Cross (New Zealand)
Phil Dadson (New Zealand)
Maddie Leach (New Zealand) and Jem Noble (United Kingdom)
Shaun Gladwell (Australia/United Kingdom)
ISE (Malaysia)
Rob Hood (Christchurch)
Miranda Parkes (Christchurch)
Wayne Youle (North Canterbury)
Zina Swanson (Christchurch/Dunedin).

Additionally, two well recognised and established artists will create legacy works for unveiling at the time of SCAPE 7. These artists will be formally announced at a later date.

SCAPE 7 (27 September – 9 November 2013) will see the creation of one major legacy (permanent) sculpture, the commencement of installation of a second legacy work and a public art walkway comprising eleven free-to-view, new and temporary works of public art. The public art walkway will lead locals and visitors through a range of experiences, beginning in the Christchurch Botanic Gardens across the central city and down to High Street. At the heart of the walkway will be the vibrant SCAPE 7 temporary home base – a place to book guided tours, relax and reflect on the works of art and begin your journey.

This architecturally designed temporary home base will be the central focus for the dynamic opening weekend, a six week long education and community engagement programme and comprehensive calendar of public events.

A complete programme of the SCAPE 7 works of public art, events and activities will be available at www.scapepublicart.org.nz from 9 September 2013.

ABOUT THE CURATOR OF SCAPE 7

Blair French is the former Director of Artspace Sydney and current Assistant Director, Curatorial and Digital at the MCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) in Sydney.