Christchurch to Christchurch and back again, at Our City to 23 Nov

18 October 2005

Christchurch to Christchurch and back again is a collaborative exhibition celebrating the 30-year sister-city relationship between Christchurch, New Zealand and Christchurch in Dorset, England. It runs until 23 November.

First exhibited in April 2005 at The Priory, a famous venue in the English Christchurch, these international exchanges of artwork showcase a broad range of styles, cultures and mediums from artists in both cities.  

Landscape photography, Maori design, printmaking and rug-weaving feature in the contributions from local Christchurch artists and represent  “a mix of works from some of the most interesting established and emerging artists working in our city.”

Our Sister City in Dorset is steeped in history, with quaint cottages, traditional pubs and excellent restaurants. The town has existed in one form or another since the Iron Age when the area between the River Avon and the River Stour was a trading point. In the past 1000 years, it has been home successively to Anglo-Saxons, Romans and Normans.

The Dorset artists’ works, presented in a digital display, draw on this rich history -- photographs of flora and fauna, architecture and seascapes, collage, acrylics, oils, watercolours, patchwork panels and embroidery.

Curator Adam Hayward says the exhibition offers a snapshot of the art scene in two diverse cities. “Located in different hemispheres and separated by culture, tradition and environment; commonalties emerge,” he says. “A universal language of people and place that paves the way for future exchange and collaboration. ”

● Our City O-Tautahi is the Christchurch City Council community exhibition space on the corner of Worcester Boulevard and Oxford Terrace. It is open 10am-4pm Monday to Saturday.

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