Industrial Waltham isn’t simply an industrial suburb. It has become the focus of intensive research and action – a place to harvest materials and ideas, intertwined into Open Workshop #1.
The Open Workshop challenges diverse artists to work together through exploration of a common theme. It is an inclusive and self-managed ‘ideas laboratory’; the outcome being a new body of works, which have engaged a local community and been inspired by unexpected convergences.
The provocation of Open Workshop #1 is ‘Industrial Waltham’. The area is part of the historical manufacturing belt that runs along the railway through the city connecting to the Port of Lyttelton. This history and rise of technology have impacted on the area’s present identity. It was up to each artist to interpret how they would engage with the theme and local context, however they were encouraged to use local skills and materials.
Seven artists took up the challenge. They met regularly to share their ideas, interactions and learning, to constructively critique, and to problem solve. The resulting art is an amalgamation of the artists’ personal and professional reactions to this local context of Waltham.
This project has been generously supported by the Christchurch City Council Community Arts Development fund.
