Rob Garrett announced as SCAPE 8 Curator
SCAPE Public Art is excited to announce Rob Garrett as the Managing Curator for the 8th SCAPE Public Art Christchurch
Biennial that is to be held from 3 October to 15 November 2015. With more than 35 years’ experience in the contemporary
arts sector, Rob Garrett will bring invaluable skills, expertise and creativity to SCAPE 8.
Rob Garrett, BFA (Elam, Auckland) and MA (Otago) is a specialist in commissioning public art projects and is highly
knowledgeable about all aspects of public art policy, planning and implementation. He has a range of experience leading
and managing art organisations and building visionary programmes to empower teams of artists throughout the world. His
numerous public art advisory projects include a city-wide public art policy for Auckland in 2013 and a 10 year public
art plan for Hamilton in 2010. His former professional roles include Senior Manager at Creative New Zealand, Leader of
New Zealand’s Pavilion Project for the 2005 Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art and the Founding Chair of Arts Festival
Dunedin.
“Rob Garrett comes with an extensive career curating and managing public art programmes and projects within New Zealand
and internationally. We are delighted to be working with him and look forward to the exciting programme that he will be
developing to engage, stimulate and excite the people of Christchurch and visitors in 2015” says Deborah McCormick,
Director of SCAPE Public Art.
As Managing Curator for SCAPE 8, Rob Garrett will lead the overall curatorial strategy development, select artists,
match artists to sites and participate in planning processes to shape concepts throughout the stages of development
towards commissioning.
SCAPE 8 will see the installation of a public art walkway spanning over more than 21 sites, which will feature eight new
large-scale and ambitious artworks along with the legacy and existing artworks that SCAPE Public Art has already
realised, an education and community engagement programme and a series of public events. The SCAPE 8 public walkway will
be available for viewing over a period of six weeks from 4 October to 15 November 2015 and aims to not only activate and
enliven publically accessible spaces but also add a high level of creativity and artistic expression to Christchurch’s
rebuild landscape. Rob Garrett will work with local, national and international artists and industry partners to produce
eight new temporary artworks that will be installed during SCAPE 8, six of which will be by local and national artists
and two by international artists.
“It is wonderful to be invited to curate an edition of the SCAPE Christchurch Biennial which already has such an
excellent standing locally and internationally” says Rob Garrett. “It is also a particular honour to be part of
Christchurch getting back on its feet; I am looking forward to developing a programme that is inspiring yet also
connected with people’s everyday realities.”
Rob Garrett’s more recent curatorial projects include Unearthing Delights the 5th edition of Narracje: Installations and Interventions in Public Space, Gdańsk, Poland, 2013; No Worries, The World is Full of People by London-based Polish artist Justyna Scheuring at Corner Window Gallery, Auckland, 2013-2014; a temporary public art
project called Production Stills by Melbourne-based artist Daniel von Sturmer, Wellington, 2013-14; Sculpture OnShore in Devonport, Auckland, 2010, 2012 and 2014 and many other projects both nationally and abroad.
The overarching goal of SCAPE 8 is to deliver artistically excellent artworks that are a result of close collaboration
between the art and business sectors of New Zealand while delivering art that engages, delights and excites the public
of Christchurch in dynamic and interactive ways. Rob Garrett will be working alongside the SCAPE Public Art Team and
Christchurch’s Art Stakeholders to develop and maintain the artworks and educational programmes of SCAPE 8 for a period
of six weeks.
Rob Garrett is currently based in Auckland and Sopot, Poland but will be in Christchurch 1 – 2 July 2014 to begin the
planning and artist selection process. He will be available for media interviews during this period.
ENDS