My image depicts Peter Majendie's installation 185 Empty Chairs. Christchurch. New Zealand.
I thought it fitted the project perfectly.
Background
Christchurch New Zealand was struck by an earthquake on 22 February 2011 that killed 185 people. On the day of the earthquake's first memorial, local artist Peter Majendie arranged 185 empty chairs that he had painted white on the site of the demolished Oxford Terrace Baptist Church. The day after the installation, the local newspaper The Press reported that the artist's intention was for the memorial to stay for a week. The artist himself said later that he thought the chairs should stay for three weeks.
Majendie's main inspiration for the installation came from paintings by Vincent van Gogh of empty chairs, representing their owners' different personalities. When he created his artwork, Majendie was aware of the Field of Empty Chairs as part of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, and the chairs in New York's Bryant Park.
In October 2012, the installation moved a few hundred metres south to the site of the demolished St Paul's Church, as building activity was to start at the Baptist Church site. This second site is diagonally opposite the CTV Building site where 115 people died.
My first show.
Was a touring production of Dial M For Murder at the Kings Theatre in the sixties. I was probably about 10 years old and was taken there by my parents. I had no idea what to expect. We sat in the upper circle of a full house. The view from such a high vantage point was gobsmacking and that image stays with me to this day. It obviously inspired me and as a set designer I still choose to sit at the back of the auditorium during Tech and Dress Rehearsals.
The last show before lockdown.
Was The Court Theatre Company's (Christchurch, New Zealand) production of Tennesee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire (Feb 2020) The production was fabulous and Clair Dougan's portrayal of Blanch DuBois was excellent.
I thought it fitted the project perfectly.
Background
Christchurch New Zealand was struck by an earthquake on 22 February 2011 that killed 185 people. On the day of the earthquake's first memorial, local artist Peter Majendie arranged 185 empty chairs that he had painted white on the site of the demolished Oxford Terrace Baptist Church. The day after the installation, the local newspaper The Press reported that the artist's intention was for the memorial to stay for a week. The artist himself said later that he thought the chairs should stay for three weeks.
Majendie's main inspiration for the installation came from paintings by Vincent van Gogh of empty chairs, representing their owners' different personalities. When he created his artwork, Majendie was aware of the Field of Empty Chairs as part of the Oklahoma City National Memorial, and the chairs in New York's Bryant Park.
In October 2012, the installation moved a few hundred metres south to the site of the demolished St Paul's Church, as building activity was to start at the Baptist Church site. This second site is diagonally opposite the CTV Building site where 115 people died.
My first show.
Was a touring production of Dial M For Murder at the Kings Theatre in the sixties. I was probably about 10 years old and was taken there by my parents. I had no idea what to expect. We sat in the upper circle of a full house. The view from such a high vantage point was gobsmacking and that image stays with me to this day. It obviously inspired me and as a set designer I still choose to sit at the back of the auditorium during Tech and Dress Rehearsals.
The last show before lockdown.
Was The Court Theatre Company's (Christchurch, New Zealand) production of Tennesee Williams A Streetcar Named Desire (Feb 2020) The production was fabulous and Clair Dougan's portrayal of Blanch DuBois was excellent.
