Across Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 April 2024, Local East-Auckland artist Wendy Hannah is hosting a series of Camellia-making workshops at Botany Town Centre.
All are welcome to drop into The Pavilion at Botany Town Centre from 10am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday underneath Wendy’s breathtaking installation, Liberty - Herekoretanga to participate in the workshops guided by Wendy and create their own camellias from recycled plastic drink bottles, destined to become part of a future installation of the project.
Opened on 19 September 2023, Liberty - Herekoretanga features 31,872 hanging ‘Camellias’ made from recycled bottles - the number of signatures on the petitions demanding that women be given the right to vote on 19 September 1893. The camellia being a symbol of New Zealand women’s suffrage given to parliamentary supporters to wear in the 1890’s.
The production and installation of Liberty - Herekoretanga has been generously supported by Botany Town Centre, the Howick Local Board and Arts Out East. Arts Out East is Te Tuhi’s Arts Brokerage programme, supporting creative artists in East Auckland to produce and promote arts and culture events and projects.
For more information about the installation of Liberty - Herekoretanga at Botany Town Centre, visit Arts Out East's website here.
About the Artist and the Camelia Project NZ
In 2018, East-Auckland artist Wendy Hannah (European, Ngāti Awa, and Te Arawa descent) started the Camellia Project NZ. Wendy has been painting for 15 years, and over the last five years she has visited schools and community groups throughout Aotearoa New
Zealand, running workshops to make camellia flowers from recycled drink bottles and talking about the history of women’s rights in New Zealand alongside the importance of recycling and reducing waste.