Art popping up in Kaitaia

A new pop-up art gallery, Kaitaia Art Space, will open in Kaitaia’s main street on Saturday (through to June 12, 9am to 1pm,) two doors along from Jujnovich Gifts & Souvenirs, featuring work by Amber Bender.

The idea, Amber said, was to provide “makeshift” galleries for local artists to show their work and for the community to enjoy, using premises that were currently vacant.

Amber Bender, the organiser and first artist to exhibit, said her work would be both two- and threedimensional, utilising common objects, a collection that she described as her most autobiographical body of work yet, dealing with conceptual ideas, current artistic processes and universal constraints.

“This is an effort to beautify the town, highlight the local talent, give the community something to experience, and have the vacant space owner get a bit of exposure for their space,” she added.

“Vacant spaces tend not to be that colourful or full of life; why not temporarily put art into the space, have some exposure for the artists’ work, put some energy back into the vacant space and have something for the community to enjoy?

The aim was to open the Kaitaia Art Space at various venues through the year. Anyone who was interested in exhibiting or providing a space was welcome to make contact at kaitaiaartspace@gmail.com, or via Facebook ( www. facebook. com/ kaitaiaartspace).