Synergy
In 2009 I was invited to participate in the Pou Whenua project by the director of Wanaka’s Festival of Colour. It involved four New Zealand artists who were asked to respond to a historical introduction to the Lake Wanaka environment by local iwi. The other artists were Simon Kaan, Michel Tuffery, and Areta Wilkinson.
We all had very diverse creative approaches. Since we live in Wanaka I chose to respond to the origins of the name which in Maori means place of learning. I decided to learn something new.
In my research I learned of nature’s preferred construction method in which compression elements are held in dynamic balance solely by tension threads that connect them.Buckminster Fuller and others named this system tensegrity as it can be used to make the strongest forms with the least material.
By creating a semi circle using raupo stems interconnected by linen threads so that none of the stems touch each other, the stress is distributed equally throughout the system making it resilient.
We installed the semicircle in a shallow lagoon of Lake Wanaka where its reflection in the calm water completed the circle.
The sculpture is titled Synergy which is an emergent property of tensegrity and means more than the sum of the parts. Synergy was selected as a finalist in the Arte Laguna Prize exhibition 2010 along with works by 115 other international artists from 30 countries.
We attended the exhibition opening and award ceremony which was a glittering affair at the Arsenale in Venice where Synergy was one of ten finalists in the new Land Art category.
Synergy was extended to become a full circle and installed on wires between trees for the Lake Wanaka arts festival.
Titled What is Life? it was dedicated to the memory of my friend and climbing partner John Pawson who tragically fell to his death from the SW ridge of Mt Aspiring in New Zealand when we were climbing it together in November 2008.
Our working process
What Is Life? Installation for Pou Whenua - Markers on the Land, Wanaka 2009. (Dedicated to John Pawson)
Licensing: Sculpture images are licensed for use worldwide
Prints: Fine art prints can be purchased internationally
Copyright: Martin Hill all rights reserved