For Auckland-based Cindy Huang, art is all about reframing the way we look at history, culture and people.
It’s also a chance to learn about and discuss others’ history and culture in a creative environment, which is what she’s promoting with her upcoming workshop, alongside her current exhibition at Queenstown’s Te Atamira.
‘A Thousand Lillies, Trade and Exchange’ is made up of 1000 individual porcelain lillies, which mark Huang’s research into Chinese goldminers in the area and symbolise the relationship between the miners and Māori, who often had to visit Chinese doctors to be treated for new illnesses brought over by settlers.
Lillies, possibly brought here by miners, are thought to have been used in medicine.
She says while her experience and ideas have been around Chinese identity, the ideas can translate for other people as well.
‘‘The way we understand goldmining history is quite a hard one, we think about the hardships of these people and the labour they did … we don’t think about the relationships they had with other people and other communities.’’
This Sunday’s workshop, from 3pm till 5pm at Te Atamira, invites people to make similar vases to those in the exhibition, which runs till March 29.
Tickets cost $10, via teatamira.nz
