Town 'steampunk' capital

"Tomorrow as it used to be" is the catch phrase for a spectacular steampunk exhibition which opens at the Forrester Gallery today.

Yesterday, steampunk enthusiast and manufacturing jeweller Iain Clark said Oamaru could become the steampunk capital of the southern hemisphere.

"As far as I know, nowhere else has done anything like this. We may as well lay claim," he said.

Mr Clark had the idea of a steampunk exhibition which would add an extra dimension to the town's Victorian heritage celebrations this month.

He had previously worked in the medium - he created an intricate ring based on ancient navigational devices which won a national award - without realising there was such a genre.

Then somebody mentioned, "Oh, that's steampunk."

He took a steam-powered beer tankard, which he had made for an Alf's Army battle last year, to Victorian heritage celebrations chairwoman Sally Hope and proposed introducing steampunk as part of the celebrations.

A small group of enthusiasts also made a video to sell the idea to Weta Workshop, the visual effects company that has won many Academy Awards, and sent a steampunk USB device, made by Mr Clark, to Weta creative director Richard Taylor.

They also visited Weta.

Weta agreed to be involved with the exhibition and will be introducing Dr Grordbort, alongside works from Otago artists.

Mr Clark was thrilled Weta had got involved and that Forrester Gallery director Warwick Smith had seen its potential, "I just can't believe how much it has taken off. Next year I'm expecting even greater things."

He hoped to get schools involved, saying it was a wonderful opportunity for imagination, as well as the recycling centre.

Mr Smith said the exhibition was quite unlike "anything we've had before".