Source: Department of Conservation
By Erin Reilly, Save the Kiwi
Forget rattling buckets for loose change on street corners; there’s a new fundraising initiative in town for kiwi conservation, just in time for Save the Kiwi Week (14-20 October).
After a successful inaugural campaign in Auckland last year, the Kiwi Art Trail is back, bigger, better and … Buzzier?
On Monday, the Kiwi Art Trail launched in Tauranga, kickstarting a six-month roadshow around Te Ika-a-Māui.
The Kiwi Art Trail is a collection of 20+ kiwi sculptures that have been turned into bespoke pieces of art by talented New Zealanders, including Otis Frizzell, FLOX, Jing Liu, Milarky and Sarah Oostendorp.
And the best bit? When the trail ends in March, the sculptures will be auctioned and proceeds will go towards kiwi conservation.
“What kind of art and what artists are involved?” I hear you ask. Well, the trail includes an array of well-known and up-and-coming artists across multiple genres. There’s pop art, street art, floral art, surreal art … there’s even a quintessential Buzzy Bee crossed with a kiwi, designed by renowned artist duo Weston Frizzell (coming soon!).
This is artist and actress Amanda Billing’s second year participating in the Kiwi Art Trail. She says:
“The Kiwi Art Trail is a celebration of creativity and community,” Amanda says. “I feel lucky that I get to make a contribution to something meaningful through making art.
“All of the artists embrace the project in their particular way, so following the trail when they’re all on show is exciting and inspiring. And the auction at the end is a nail-biter! The Kiwi Art Trail is a great initiative that really is win-win-win: our beautiful national apteryx icon wins through the auction winnings, and everyone who gets to see them out and about is reminded of how good art is for us – how it really does make our lives better.”
One sculpture has been designed by 14-year-old Pakuranga College student Abby Taylor, who won a school competition run by principal sponsor Gallagher Insurance. Her design called “Wingless” was selected from more than 1,800 entries.
“I drew inspiration from the Māori story about how the kiwi sacrificed its wings to protect the ground,” Abby says. “I incorporated wing bones and the letters ‘INRI,’ typically found on crucifixes, symbolising self-sacrifice.”
This year, the trail isn’t heading to one but four locations: Tauranga, Napier, Whangārei and Auckland. This means there’s plenty of time for locals and visitors alike to get up close and personal with these beautiful, bespoke sculptures.
And if you thought that wasn’t local enough, here’s the kicker. At every location, two local artists are participating too. Plus, proceeds from the sale of their sculptures will go to local kiwi conservation efforts.
For more information about the Kiwi Art Trail, brought to you by Save the Kiwi and Gallagher Insurance, visit the website and follow the trail on Facebook and Instagram.
Kiwi Art Trail dates
- Tauranga: 14 October – 17 November
- Napier: 23 November – 29 December
- Whangarei: January
- Auckland: February/March
- Auction: late-March
