Ranfurly Art Deco Festival committee vice-chairwoman Amie
Pont stands with one of six works installed in Ranfurly
yesterday, this one by artist Gemma Baldock, of Dunedin.
Photo by Lynda Van Kempen.
Ranfurly is bringing the art back into Art Deco. Large
artworks appeared on bare walls on the exterior of town
businesses yesterday, just in time for this weekend's Ranfurly
Art Deco Festival.
Five artworks from different artists, all with an Art Deco
theme, have been scanned, enlarged and made weatherproof for
outdoor display. The sixth work in the collection of street
art is a giant poster made from glass slides which held print
advertisements for Ranfurly businesses, dating back to the
Art Deco era.
"The collection has a two-fold benefit. They decorate the
town, in a subtle way, and also develop the arts in the
Maniototo, by celebrating our creativity," festival committee
vice-chairwoman Amie Pont said.
It was planned to extend the collection, and the works could
be shifted around the town. The Maniototo Arts Council and
the Maniototo Community Trust covered material costs, while
artists donated time and talent.
A large "paint-by-numbers" painting, to be completed by
visitors to the festival this weekend, will be added to the
collection. Festival committee chairwoman Diane Paterson said
all was set for a great weekend. The forecast was for
sunshine tomorrow and the town was "really buzzing" about
special guest, entertainer Vince Martin, who will perform at
the cabaret tonight and the street party tomorrow afternoon.
He would also visit residents at Ranfurly's Chalet rest-home.
- lynda.van.kempen@odt.co.nz
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