One hundred and twenty birds’ nests roosting at Wintec

The latest art installation to temporarily call Wintec’s Ramp Gallery home includes 120 abandoned birds’ nests.

Julia Christey's Being and Non-being art installation, displayed at Wintec's Ramp Gallery.

Titled Being and Non-being by Artist Julia Christey, the piece consists of repurposed nests ironically suspended from a product intended as anti-bird netting.

Julia’s installation is joined by artworks from several other New Zealand artists, whose work responds to environmental concerns, as part of the gallery’s current group exhibition, Critical Mass, which she co-curated alongside Megan Lyon, Wintec Media Arts Events Director.

Each respective piece responds to environmental challenges, providing unique perspectives on the ecological future of the World through the lens of each artist.

Among the artworks on display at the Ramp Gallery exhibit is Lisa Bate's Dead Pools piece.

“In Critical Mass, each artist focuses on fragments of the natural world to document, express concern, and celebrate,” said Megan.

Julia spent three years collecting the large colony of nests, receiving help from her friends, whānau, and community along the way.

“To me, they represent the clever ingenuity of another species. Nest carry deep emotional resonance, embodying safety, sanctuary, and the enduring idea of home and renewal,” said Julia.

“Yet as humans grow increasingly disconnected from the ecological systems that sustain them – and as nature strains under the weight of human interference – other species are losing their habitats, their survival threatened.” 

Artist and exhibit Co-curator Julia Christey.

Megan and Julia’s aim has been to challenge and question the human approach to their place in the earth’s ecological systems and highlight the paradox of this relationship.

Last week, a preview event officially opened the group exhibition, and a panel discussion continuing the conversation took place on Friday morning as part of a new initiative by Wintec’s School of Media Arts to run a series of public art forums.  

Critical Mass will run until Friday, 14 November at Ramp Gallery at Wintec’s City Campus, on Collingwood Street. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Friday, 10am-2pm or by appointment.