What’s with the Hastings sheep? Artworks explained in new guide

How do you build a giant steel cherry blossom? What does it take to spray-paint a mural two storeys high? And what’s with those sheep?

The streets of Heretaunga have come alive with the sounds of artists’ voices. Working with the Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival, Wellington-based creative tech company PickPath has been interviewing artists about some of Hastings’ most iconic public artworks, and will present the fascinating kōrero in Walking With Artists: An Immersive Guide.

The free guide was launched during the festival and will remain available for one year on the NZ-made PickPath app.

Audiences will be able to access the app on their phone and complete the 45-minute experience using headphones in their own time, hearing special interviews with artists including painter John Eaden, mural artist Cinzah Merkens, sculptors Liz Earth and Ricks Terstappen, designer Jacob Scott and more.

Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival director Pitsch Leiser says it’s a rare thing to hear directly from an artist about their work in such detail.

“It’s as though you were out for a walk together in the Hastings city streets. I’m excited by the opportunity that this new digital experience can offer us to connect with familiar physical spaces - I think everyone that gives this audio tour a go will see these public artworks, and therefore our shared community spaces, anew.”

As part of the guide, local artists were interviewed on-site with their work and asked about the importance of sculpture and murals.

“Public art can create a sense of identity and belonging,” says international mural artist Cinzah Merkens. “In my mind, when you paint a public work, it’s your artwork, but you’re also gifting it to the public. It gives the locals a sense of ownership over that space without them having to own the actual building itself.”

PickPath co-founder Joel Baxendale says Walking with Artists was one of the first experiences made on PickPath, and it was a good test case.

“We’re still developing the platform, so our hope is for everyone to give Walking with Artists a go and use the feedback tool to let us know how they find it!”

Walking With Artists: An Immersive Audio Tour premiered as part of the Hawke’s Bay Arts Festival. The guide will be accessible is now accessible from artsinc.co.nz and on the PickPath app.