READY FOR A GOOD TIME?
The artsy do you’re invited to
Watch out, Christchurch — Art Do is set to take over Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū (CAG). The event, held on October 27, will sprawl through the gallery in celebration of the city’s creative community, activating and unleashing it with the help of our country’s leading creatives and world-class chefs. In the past, the gallery has hosted annual gala dinners to fundraise for the purchase of new works. Art Do is an evolution of these dinners and will see food stations, bars, artist DJs and a vinyl lounge transform the space into a full-noise ‘art party’.
Christchurch was quick to explore creative solutions in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake. The gallery was used as the Civil Defence headquarters immediately after the quake before being closed for repairs until 2015, yet it managed to facilitate more than 100 off-site shows with its Outer Spaces series of public art projects. Since reopening in December 2015, it’s had more than one million guests through its doors, and taken back the reins of creative projects in the city. Emerging from the quake as a key landmark and meeting place, it has also become the city’s new spiritual hub in the wake of the Christchurch Cathedral’s near destruction.
For the past five years, annual gala dinners run by the gallery have raised funds for the acquisition of new works intended to reflect post-earthquake-era Christchurch and its rebuild. Works by star artists Bridget Riley, Martin Creed, Bill Culbert, Ron Mueck and Michael Parekowhai have been purchased, each marking one of the five years that the gallery was closed.
Art Do was conceived with the aim of reaching the wider audience that has enjoyed the dinners, parties, gigs and events the gallery has hosted since reopening. By combining elements from all these events, prime examples of the cornerstones of the city’s culture will be on offer for 500 guests to experience. This year, the focus is on community, with Art Do offering an immersive experience designed in collaboration with some of New Zealand’s leading artists, fashion designers, chefs and architects. Additionally, it sees the launch of the gallery’s first social enterprise, limited-edition ‘art wine’ and ‘art beer’, made in association with Greystone Wines and Three Boys Brewery and featuring the work of Zina Swanson and Judy Millar.
Karen Walker is styling a bar, crafting a cocktail and dressing the hosts, and Fashion Quarterly will be there, too. Architects Warren and Mahoney are designing party spaces, and Jake Kellie from Michelin-starred Singapore restaurant Burnt Ends will head up the kitchen. Another of the chefs contributing this year is Tom Hishon of Auckland café Daily Bread, and menswear designer Murray Crane is also involved. “Christchurch means a lot to me on a personal level and I want to contribute to the rebuild and regeneration,” he says. “The gallery is the cultural heartbeat of the city, and I’m proud to be part of it.”
At $250 a ticket, this is a night that’s not to be missed. Art Do will demonstrate the importance of creativity in our country — in good times and bad; as Judy Millar notes, in times of hardship, “the arts become an essential human comfort. Music, theatre and visual arts offer solace and hope.” Get your ticket and join us in black tie or full colour to enjoy an unforgettable evening of exploration in one of Aotearoa’s premiere creative institutions, with some of our country’s brightest minds.