Vea Mafile'o, Over the Line (still), 2016. Courtesy of the artist
This Time of Useful Consciousness, installation view. Photo: John Lake
Matthew Galloway, The Ground That Swallows You, Part II (detail), 2017. Courtesy of the artist
Matavai Taulangau, Forestry-Pruning (still), 2016. Courtesy of the artist
Bridget Reweti, I thought I would’ve climbed more mountains by now (still), 2015. Courtesy of the artist, and National Library of New Zealand.
This Time of Useful Consciousness, installation view. Photo: John Lake
Kei Uta, Whakatairangitia rere ki uta, rere ki tai (detail), 2015-2017. Courtesy of the artists
This Time of Useful Consciousness, installation view. Photo: John Lake
This Time of Useful Consciousness, installation view. Photo: John Lake
Vea Mafile'o, Over the Line (still), 2016. Courtesy of the artist
Angela Tiatia, Holding on (Still), 2015. Courtesy of Alcaston Gallery, Narrm Melbourne
The urgency to address global environmental issues and the relationship between economic, political and social factors is explored in this exhibition by Aotearoa New Zealand artists.
Features work by Richard Frater, Matthew Galloway, Amy Howden-Chapman, Kei Uta, Vea Mafile’o, Bridget Reweti, Matavai Taulangau, The Distance Plan, Angela Tiatia and Tim Wagg.
"Time of useful consciousness" describes those few moments between being deprived of oxygen and passing out, a period in which the full extent of the danger is known, but it is still possible to act. Used as an analogy for climate change, this time is now. In the Pacific and elsewhere climate change is already having a dramatic impact on daily life. We need to take steps globally and locally to avoid catastrophic sea level rise, extreme weather and irreversible changes to our environment.
This Time of Useful Consciousness features artists from Aotearoa New Zealand concerned with political ecology (the relationships between political, economic and social factors with environmental issues) and the urgent need for climate change action. Addressing concerns ranging from land use to cloud computing, global supply chains to indigenous responses to coastal erosion, these artists are interested in our capitalist and ecological limits.
Environmental issues are complex and these artists acknowledge the challenges and opportunities posed by ecological problems. This Time of Useful Consciousness provokes and inspires, and calls on us to move from observation to action.
Dr. Huhana Smith on adaptation strategies to address climate change impacts on coastal Māori communities.
Artist Talk: Richard Frater speaking about Stop Shell (oyster version) 2017
Barker, S. The Time is Now. Regional News, 16 May 2017
Amery, M. Staying Conscious. The Big Idea, retrieved 6 June 2017