Flotilla Whau, a work as part of the Rosebank Art Walk, Auckland Arts Festival

Abstract

Commissioned as part of the Rosebank Art Walk (Auckland Arts Festival 2013) the Flotilla Whau was intended as a one-day event where a collection of water-craft traversed a marked course on the Whau river in Auckland, new Zealand. Situated as both art work and community development event, the flotilla brought river users together, stimulating connection and ongoing discussion. The intention of the flotilla was to mark out this marginal estuarine space, in some way drawing attention to it, and in so doing re-establishing the river as a visible,material space that can be occupied, a place one can be in and on. The Flotilla was repeated in 2014 as a stand alone event, with the number of participants increasing from 50 to 300. As a result of the success of these two events the Flotilla Whau was offered funding from Auckland Council for 2015, which allowed for the event to grow the performative spatial and visual components. The 2015 Flotilla Whau took place on Sunday February 8 in collaboration with the Voyager, New Zealand Maritime Museum.