Motueka Art Walk, High Street
Here's an opportunity to get some exercise while also appreciating local artists and some of their public works. Developed by the Motueka Arts Council, the Art Walk aims to encourage locals and visitors to wander along High Street and a few nearby streets and discover the interesting art installations and furniture created by artists that live in our region.
The Art Walk begins outside the Motueka Police Station and moves down the west side of High Street to the carvings at the entrance to The Warehouse. It then crosses the main road and moves back up the east side of High Street, with a few small detours along the way. The total distance is about 2km, so it's an easy walk.
In order to firstly find and then appreciate all the art installations along the way, you will need to pick up this brochure from i-Site or other tourist outlets, giving a map and some small photos and descriptions. The brochure is called "Motueka Art Walk - A Celebration of Art in Public Places". With the map, you'll have no trouble finding all the artworks.
There are 27 installations in all, along with an interesting collection of seats in front of the museum.
Over recent years, Motueka Arts Council has helped to develop a town concept based on a theme of the Motueka River. The project was part of a community-wide commitment to provide street furniture, as well as to start off a community mosaic as a Millennium project.
Most of the artists who created these works used materials that were natural, created ceramics, and/or recycled materials, to help them interpret the theme of the river and activities along its banks.
According to the explanatory material provided by the Arts Council, the river has always been central to the life of the local area from pre-European times to the present day, providing transport, irrigation, recreation, food and industry.
In the art installations, the Motueka River is represented by High Street from Woodlands Avenue to Poole Street. The three pedestrian crossings symbolise three of the bridges across the river, at Motueka, Alexander Bluff and Ngatimoti. The grey bricked paths set into the footpath are the river roads on the east and west banks. The handcrafted street furniture is part of the overall Motueka River theme, acknowledging local materials, activities and highlights along its banks.
If you have a favourite thing you like to do - a walking place, attraction, quiet spot - so the rest of us can check it out and enjoy it too, please tell us about it here.
