Past Event

With Sophie Davis, of Enjoy Contemporary Art Space, Ed Ritchie, Kari Schmidt and Lucy Wardle of Laurel Project Space and Blue Oyster director, Grace Ryder, this open conversation will focus on smaller arts institutions and the ecology within an ecology that smaller spaces operate within. 

Following on from this, Ana Iti will then discuss their art practice in relation to residencies they have undertaken, including the Blue Oyster Art Project Space and Caselberg Trust Summer Residency (2016), Australian Experimental Art Foundation and The Physics Room Artist Exchange (2016), the inaugural Canberra Wellington Indigenous Artist Exchange (2019) and the forthcoming McCahon House Residency that Iti will undertake in mid-2020. Residencies such as those already mentioned often occur in collaboration between organisations, which share an aim or vision, such as the Blue Oyster and Caselberg Trust, and with that in mind, Iti will discuss the experiences and ongoing involvement these opportunities offer to artistic practice.

Sophie Davis is curator and writer based in Pōneke Wellington, where she is currently director of Enjoy Contemporary Art Space. Previously, she was Assistant Curator at The Physics Room and from 2014-16, she co-founded and co-directed North Projects, an independent art space that ran out of a converted flat in Ōtautahi Christchurch. 

Ana Iti (Te Rarawa) is an artist based in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara. Often employing sculpture, video and text, her recent work explores the practice of history making through shared and personal narratives. Iti recently completed a MFA at Toi Rauwharangi Massey University Wellington. Recent exhibitions include The earth looks upon us /Ko Papatūānuku te matua o te tangata, Adam Art Gallery, Te-Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington (2018), Time is now measured in damage, Window Gallery, online (2018), (Un)conditional I, The Physics Room, Ōtautahi Christchurch (2018). 

Laurel Project Space is a new Artist Run Initiative located upstairs at 418 Princes St, Ōtepoti. We aim to provide a welcoming space and a platform for open, respectful, critical, diverse exhibitions, public programmes and publications, with a focus on contemporary art from Dunedin and beyond.
Laurel Project Space is facilitated and funded by Erin Broughton, Lucy Wardle, Kari Schmidt, Jacqui Margetts and Ed Ritchie.

Grace Ryder is a curator and arts administrator currently based in Ōtepoti, where she is the director of Blue Oyster Art Project Space (2017—). Since graduating from Ilam School fo Fine Arts, University of Canterbury (2015) she has worked at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu (2014-2015) and Toi Moroki Centre of Contemporary Art (2016). From 2014 to 2016 Grace co-founded and co-directed North Projects, an artist-run initiative which supported the development of new and experimental work by local and international practitioners.