Site 7. Ani O'Neill (New Zealand)
Humoured
Cunningham House, Christchurch Botanic Gardens
4th September - 15th October 2002

In collaboration with students at Rangi Ruru Girls School, Auckland artist Ani O'Neill made a crafty installation for the Botanic Gardens' tropical hothouse, Cunningham House.

O'Neill passed her crochet skills onto Rangi students to enable them to make three dimensional animal forms that were positioned in clusters among the hothouse's plants and around its waterfalls. These clusters acted as mini dioramas, a strange zoo or prehistoric display at a museum.

Made out of various recycled materials including raffia and bread bags, the creatures continued O'Neill's exploration and preservation of Pacific Island craft techniques in a contemporary art context, building on a recent body of work where the artist has crocheted three-dimensional forms; mainly small animals such as poodles, snakes and pigeons. The installation also showed O'Neill's ongoing interest in collaboration, community and concern for the environment.

Curator: Lara Strongman