Students' on-line art draws global contributions

Students’ on-line art exhibition attracts contributions from around the world

Three enterprising students at The University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts have set up an interactive website display that is attracting contributions from around the world.

“We want to encourage creativity beyond the usual confines of the art world,” explains Michelle Menzies, an undergraduate in Intermedia Arts and English. “The displays aren’t only visual –we’re trying to profile as many different slants on creative ideas as possible.”

“The displays rotate every fortnight,” says colleague Samuel Ostermann, who is studying sculpture. “So far we’ve shown interactive poetry from a contributor in Slovenia, art from Taiwan, a fusion of cuisine, language and art from Italy, and a digital video from a local artist”.

The third instigator of the project, called Window, is Stephen Cleland, an undergraduate in painting, while the website is maintained by web curator Luke Duncalfe, a student of Intermedia Arts.

The students want to utilise their experience in arts to encourage others, from both within and outside the arts world, to contribute to and appreciate a cross-section of thought-provoking displays.

They have been inundated with contributions from around the world in disciplines ranging from science and engineering to poetry and alternative art.

The students are currently seeking funding to establish a permanent exhibition, which would be related to the existing website.

“Our intention is to establish a permanent art space on The University of Auckland campus in which people can articulate works or ideas,” says Michelle. “Through this we hope to stimulate and deepen the greater community’s experience of art in life.”

They hope the exhibitions – both on-line and on-site – will be maintained by future students once the original team graduates in 2003-2004.

The students’ website can be viewed at www.window.auckland.ac.nz

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