I’ve been aware over the past few months of Auckland’s need for better waste management attitudes. Auckland Council is introducing new fees for rubbish removal and residents, particularly in South Auckland, have to start recycling, composting and re-using to accommodate for the changes or face significant financial pressure. I’ve been thinking about creative ways to engage communities, particularly in Ōtāhuhu, with projects and activities that involve re-using, re-purposing and re-thinking what we throw out.

Leading up to Christmas and with some down-time between projects, I started making a series of wreaths from out-of-date Fresh Gallery Otara brochures. Cutting them into strips and weaving them together has had me thinking about when this brochure was first developed; Fresh Gallery Otara had been in operation for two years but this was the first real marketing collateral produced for the Gallery. It was important because in 2008, I went on two trips; first to the 10th Festival of Pacific Arts in Pago Pago, American Samoa, and second, to Bandung, Indonesia on an amazing fact finding mission with the British Council. This brochure was an essential part of Fresh’s international exposure; it showcased the Gallery’s community of artists and its curatorial culture.

I was exceedingly proud to distribute it everywhere I went; graphic designer, Edgar Melitao did an exceptional job and has always made my projects and work feel international, very cool and quietly sophisticated. As I weave different sized pieces together, I’ve reflected on Edgar’s amazing attention to detail. In the feel of the paper, I think about his consideration of paper stock and quality. I love that his graphic triangle theme is unintentionally continued in this brochure’s new life.

These wreaths will be for sale exclusively at Fresh Art Market, Saturday 14 December, at Fresh Gallery Otara. They cost $20 each and measure approximately 46cm across!