Culture

So what I’ve been trying to do by writing this section this year is emphasize the burgeoning Dunedin arts culture, emphasis on burgeoning - not just cause I like that word (I really do, is the English major geek in me showing?) but because it’s so true that there’s a quietly growing arts scene here that flies slightly under the radar, usually revealing itself in a subtle but incredible way. Let’s face it, Dunedin has all the artistic talent and creativity of, say, Wellington, the so-called arts capital of New Zealand, but thankfully minus the douche-y indie aspect (as a Wellingtonian at heart, I feel comfortable admitting my home city’s faults!).

Take the topic of my article this week - I wasn’t even searching for an exhibition to write on when I stumbled across a “paint by numbers” project, courtesy of my flatmate Dave mentioning it in passing. When I inquired further, it turned out Dave and two of his classmates were organizing the project at the Farmers Market as part of their Marketing 304 assignment, to raise awareness for the Anna and John Caselberg Charitable Trust. University students getting involved in the arts as a requirement + the promotion of a New Zealand artistic trust + Farmer’s Market pie on a Saturday morning?! Clearly an unbeatable combination.

So off I went, hungover as fuck but with my trusty pie in hand, to see how the project was going along. Otago Polytech student Becky Cameron had drawn up a mural on a large canvas (kindly donated by Placemakers) which she divided into different numbered sections, with each number attached to a specific colour. The idea was that different people could paint their own numbered section and create the mural together - hence the fantastic double meaning of “paint by numbers”. The element of participation was crucial in raising awareness for the Trust, as it brought a variety of people together over a period of time to build up the painting, and the simple nature of the work (which required no more of the painter than to stay between the lines) meant that anyone could join in.

Marketing 304 student Brittany Pannett, who also organized the project, explained that the objective of the assignment was for students to work in groups to raise awareness for the Caselberg Trust. However, she emphasized that while other groups attempted to do so through raising money, her group focused more on simply getting the word out, and informing people about the Trust and its work. “Foot traffic was a really important idea to us,” she says, making the Farmers market the perfect place to attract all kinds of Dunedin locals, and extend their reach beyond the typical scarfie student scene.

The aim of the Anna and John Caselberg Trust is to fulfill Anna and John’s dream that their home would become a residency for artists and writers. The Caselberg House is part of a significant New Zealand arts legacy, standing right beside the cottage of writer Charles Brasch, who similarly hosted renowned artists and writers in the twentieth century, such as Janet Frame, Colin McCahon, James K Baxter and of course Anna and John themselves. The Trust today uses donations to continue managing the Caselberg House in order to host national and international artists.

When I arrived at the Market that day, the canvas was only a quarter of the way painted, but by the time I left an hour or two later, it was well on its way to being fully completed. Whenever I popped in to check, there was always a swarm of activity around the stall - kids and adults alike painting, more waiting for colours to be available, some asking the project organizers for more information. Well done 304 kids, it’s an A+ in my books.