Art adventure feast for senses

Sculptor Tracey Tawhiao and artists John Ioane were among the exhibitors at Splore 2008. Tawhiao is expected back this year. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Splore is unique in that the visual art element of the festival is just as important as the music.

Ever since the festival started in 1998 - with a philosophy to foster art, culture and community - it has always had a strong arts focus. But this year organisers wanted to take the visual element centre stage.

Installations, paintings and sculptures will be woven throughout the Splore site to create what the festival's new art curator Shea O'Neill describes as an interactive art adventure.

"It will open your mind, warp your senses and enlighten your imagination," he says.

Artists involved include sculptor Tracey Tawhiao, who exhibited in 2008; jack-of-all-trades artist Christian Nicholson who uses everything from paint to video to create his work; and Samoan multi-media artist and jeweller Nikki Hastings-McFall.

Splore 2010 marks the return of Cut Collective, who in the past have created interactive 3-D puzzles for the festival. For next weekend they have teamed up with architect Jasper Middleton to "push the boundaries of optical trickery" even further by creating a large-scale painted architectural structure. Also returning is artist Martin Horspool, who has created mini robots out of household objects for the past two festivals, but this year is back with his new life-sized robot.

As O'Neill says: "Expect retro, future, neon, steam-punk, cycle-powered, nude, pop art, multimedia, experimental and interactive fun."

LOWDOWN

What: Splore 2010
When: February 19-21
Where: Tapapakanga Regional Park, Firth of Thames (just north of Kaiaua and Miranda).
Getting there: From Auckland exit at either Manukau or Manurewa and head to Clevedon, then turn right on to Pacific Coast Highway to Kawakawa Bay, at dairy turn right towards Orere Point and Kaiaua. Carry on for 11km and watch for signs to Tapapakanga.
Line-up: Basement Jaxx (DJ set), Lupe Fiasco, Jamie Lidell, Minuit, Pitch Black, Sola Rosa, King Kapisi, Electric Wire Hustle, The Gaslamp Killer, Zoh Zoh, Nathan Haines, Nickodemus, Easy, Spektrum, Tahuna Breaks, and many more.
Tickets: $125-$185 at iticket.co.nz
More info: splore.net