During his stopover in Gisborne, the artist planned to continue to work on The Ocean’s Breath in Mahia but he has also started on another project.
Gisborne artist Jo Tito and filmmaker, director and writer Stacey Aglok from Iqaluit in the Arctic Circle are collaborating on a project called Walking in Circles. In this work they explore their languages, make comparisons, connections and identify differences.
An indigenous way of thinking in circles will be emphasised in the project, says Tito.
“I will also be further exploring te reo Maori within the landscape, drawing on the richness and beauty of our language that all connects back to the environment.”
Similarly, Aglok is interested in her native language, Inuit, and the knowledge that comes with language. She is developing another project which focuses on two Inuit words that describe the edge where solid matter meets the ocean.
“Sidja” describes where land mass meets the sea while “Sinaa” describes where a solid expanse of frozen ice meets the sea.
“So many things underlie Inuit words,” says Aglok. “I’m interested in comparing and learning more about words in my dialect to do with the ocean.
“I want to use this project to learn more about my culture and — from a Maori perspective — that connection between language, humans’ relationship with the ocean and traditional knowledge.”
Photography, writing, painting, drawings and audio/video recordings feature among media used in this storytelling-based project that has a special emphasis on language sharing.
Interdisciplinary artist and media strategist Dr Tracey Benson continues to explore language in her ongoing project Words for Water. The Canberra-based artist specialises in online and screen-based art, locative media (digital media applied to real places that triggers real social interactions) and site-specific installation.
Words for Water came about through learning about indigenous, and non-indigenous, linguistic and spatial connections with water, she says. This includes water management and travelling across water. Hers is an evolving project that explores notions of place and its connections to culture, language and the environment.
She and Tito are collaborating on a chapter for the project that combines video and still photographic imagery of the sea and waterways layered with audio of stories and songs from local iwi and residency participants.
Originally from Hungary, now resident in Canada, Nina Czegledy’s artistic practice centres on changing perceptions of the environment and the human body.
“I’m interested in environmental change, especially concerning water and pollution. I work in art, science and technology internationally. I will start a project in Mahia. That is still to be figured out. It could be a film, collage or photography.”
Czegledy is an award-winning media artist, curator and educator. She works internationally on collaborative art, science, technology and educational projects.
The Intercreate Trust arose from the 2006 Solar Circuit Aotearoa New Zealand (SCANZ) residency co-organised by Czegledy, now chairwoman of Intercreate.
This is the first year the Intercreate project has been held outside Taranaki, says Tito who co-organised the event with Desna Whaanga-Schollum.
“Why Mahia has been chosen is because this residency is different from previous ones. We normally get proposals from artists to develop a project. This was more like curating an exhibition. This year the residency is more focused on process, collaboration and conversation.”
