Hockey skill and art collide
A Wellington-based artist with a unique practice is headed stateside to represent New Zealand in this year’s World Championships of Performing Arts.
Zakea Page, 19, successfully gained a place on the national team late last year, by painting a large-scale artwork using a hockey stick and a tennis ball soaked in ink. The unusual method, which has become Page’s signature, came about as a way to combine his two passions: art and hockey.
’’As a painter, I always liked experimenting with different techniques and so I started painting with a hockey stick and did a video of it which was seen by the International Hockey Federation and I ended up getting to do a performance for the Hockey World League final [in Auckland].’’
While still riding the high of that performance, Page decided to trial for the World Championships of Performing Arts, successfully making the team who will travel to Los Angeles in July.
‘‘Now it’s just a matter of seeing how far I can take it and look at the ways I can incorporate different techniques to make the performance the best it can be,’’ he said.
During the competition, Page will have one minute to perform, meaning time is of the essence.
‘‘It’s going to be very action-packed, involving hockey tricks as well as me painting extremely fast.
‘‘I also want to infuse dance into it so when you watch it, it’ll look fluid and smooth.
‘‘I want to give the impression that it comes very easily which is obviously not the case.’’
Page said his performance was likely to be set to ‘‘dubstep, techno music’’ which he hoped to mix with clips of the haka.
‘‘I don’t know exactly what it will exactly sound like but I do want to incorporate New Zealand and Maori culture because I am representing New Zealand.
‘‘It’s always a process with art. You are always finetuning and seeing how far you can take it.’’
Ahead of his performance, Page said he planned to talk to local iwi to ensure his performance was culturally appropriate – one of the many things he has to think about before July.
Page is also hard at work fundraising for the trip, which he estimates will cost about $7500 all up.
It is just the start of what is set to be a busy year, with the 19-year-old set to begin studying fine arts at Massey University; putting him on track towards his ultimate goal of becoming a fulltime artist.
* For more information about Page’s artwork or to donate, email artistzakea@gmail.com.