Art Chemist series
Art Chemist is an interactive performance and installation that operates as a space somewhere between an apothecary, therapist’s office and arts’ directory offering unique prescriptions and creative cure-alls. This site responsive draws on international studies which support the benefit of ‘arts on prescription’ for improving mental wellbeing as well as a desire to support and showcase local arts communities.
Supported by: Taranaki Arts Festival, Creative New Zealand, Centre City and Flora & Co
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Art Chemist New Plymouth, 2023
Supported by: Taranaki Arts Festival, Creative New Zealand, Centre City and Flora & Co
Each installation and the following one-on-one consultations are responsive both to the location and individual. A local 'art directory' is built up and used to create prescriptions for each person that takes part. The work is gentle and earnest with a touch of the familiar yet absurd; it offers a chance to connect, reflect and see the city through new eyes.Art Chemist was first devised for an empty space in Christchurch's central city in 2021.
Performers: Audrey Baldwin
Receptionists: Antonia O’Mahoney and Jayne Gray
Since then it has been a headline event at The Performance Arcade 2022, hosted by Te Atamira in Queenstown and popped up in other locations around Ōtautahi. The work was also shown in the Zonta Ashburton Female Art Awards (ZAFAA) at Ashburton Art Gallery where Audrey was announced as the 2022 ZAFAA Premier Award winner. In Feb 2023, Art Chemist was part of Auckland Pride and in October it popped up in City Centre shopping mall as part of ReImagine Festival in New Plymouth.
Ngāmotu, New Plymouth
Auckland Pride Festival
Aiwa Pooamorn, Murdoch Keane,
Elle Wootton, Jess Holly Bates, Josiah Morgan, George Fowler,
Aurea Crolla, Mike Wood, Gabby Gee
Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland
Performers:
HuiHann Wee, Nikki Brough,
Kasi Valu, Gemishka Chetty,
Millie Hanford, Stellar Pritchard,
MJ Lee, Jennifer K Shields
Art Chemist Nelson, 2022
Supported by:
Nelson Arts Festival
Kismet Cocktail & Whiskey Bar
Photography: Melissa Banks & Khye Hitchcock
Nelson Arts Festival
Ann Braunsteiner, Amber Clausner, Damara Sylvester, Felicity Pallesen aka Flossie Fizzberry, Katie Powell Wright, Khye Hitchcock
Whakatū, Nelson
Art Chemist Queenstown, 2022
Supported by:
Central Lakes Arts Supports Scheme, Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group and Te Atamira
Photography: Khye Hitchcock
Central Lakes Arts Supports Scheme, Te Hau Toka Southern Lakes Wellbeing Group and Te Atamira
Photography: Khye Hitchcock
Te Atamira
Tāhuna Queenstown
Art Chemist Ashburton, 2022
ZAFAA Premier Award winner
Photography: Khye Hitchcock
Photography: Khye Hitchcock
Zonta Ashburton Female Art Awards (ZAFAA)
Ashburton Art Gallery
Art Chemist Pōneke, 2022
Supported by:
Creative New Zealand, Wellington City Council, The Performance Arcade
Photography: Khye Hitchcock
Creative New Zealand, Wellington City Council, The Performance Arcade
Photography: Khye Hitchcock
The Performance Arcade
Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington
Art Chemist Ōtautahi, 2021
With support from:
Christchurch City Council, Life in Vacant Spaces, The Green Lab, Phantom Billstickers, Natural Paint Company, Studio Momentum
Photography: Janneth Gil
Christchurch City Council, Life in Vacant Spaces, The Green Lab, Phantom Billstickers, Natural Paint Company, Studio Momentum
Photography: Janneth Gil
Cathedral Junction
Ōtautahi Christchurch
