Station of Earth-Bound Ghosts
Station of Earth-Bound Ghosts was a singular art event staged at the Auckland Railway Station, immediately prior to it being decommissioned in 1999.
The installation was a set of 30 flags emblazoned with poetry, exploring the legacy of legendary Maori warrior/prophet Te Kooti and themes of New Zealand colonisation, employing Davis' collagist style of expression, and setting up a fluttering resonance of meaning between the object and the written word.
DV8 Creative was commissioned to design the flags, in collaboration with book designer Christine Hansen, and also oversee all aspects of production, from flag-making by Blue Grass Flags, to collaborating with artist/curator Stephen Bambury in preparing the venue.
The project also involved advancing various details such as the projected-light passages on the frontage and throughout the interior. The scope further included advertising, advance publicity and signage.
Te Tangi a te Matuhi
Following the exhibit was the publication of the book "Te Tangi a te Matuhi" which catalogued and discussed the themes surrounding this work. The song (cry) of the rare (extinct?) fern wren (te matuhi) is a translation of this title, given first to one of the songs of Te Kooti.
The design objective of the book was to explore the themes of Davis' Station of Eartbound Ghosts, by employing a raw, economical, ambiguous, and collagist style - reflecting his approach to writing.
Design and production was handled by DV8 Creative in collaboration with Toby Curnow as content curator. The choices of materials and techniques, while detemined by a tight budget and 8-week deadline, tied in well with the creative objectives.
The New Zealand Book Council page about Leigh Davis is here. And works are available on the Jack Books website.
Author: Leigh Davis
Additional voices and guidance: Wirangi Pera, Haare Williams
Flag designers: Stephen Canning, Christine Hansen
Curators: Wystan Curnow, Stephen Bambury
Contributing artists: S. Bambury, John Reynolds
Photography: Patrick Reynolds
Production: Stephen Canning, Blue Grass Flags, Tony Reid
Lighting design: Stephen Canning, Bryan Caldwell
Print design and production: Stephen Canning
Curatorial editor, sound editor, musical producer: Toby Curnow
Music: Phil Dadson
Additional voices and guidance: Wirangi Pera, Haare Williams
Flag designers: Stephen Canning, Christine Hansen
Curators: Wystan Curnow, Stephen Bambury
Contributing artists: S. Bambury, John Reynolds
Photography: Patrick Reynolds
Production: Stephen Canning, Blue Grass Flags, Tony Reid
Lighting design: Stephen Canning, Bryan Caldwell
Print design and production: Stephen Canning
Curatorial editor, sound editor, musical producer: Toby Curnow
Music: Phil Dadson
