Soundscape I & II - Waihora Lagoon, Pureora Forest, Drypoint
Wetlands Exhibition by Hawkes Bay (HB) Inkers raises public awareness of fragile wetland ecosystems.
The exhibition is a vibrant showcase of printmaking from HB Inkers with printmakers invited to participate from Wairarapa, Taupō, Palmerston North and Whanganui and including work from Central Hawke’s Bay College art students.
This work reflects the fragility of wetland ecosystems and acknowledges their importance as places of rich biodiversity. A third of our native birds in Aotearoa New Zealand are wetland species.
Using a drypoint printmaking process, the marks in Soundscape are a response, recording the experience of this unique environment.
Waihora Lagoon in the Pureora Forest, South Waikato is a shallow, ephemeral wetland, relying on rainfall and is surrounded by swamp forest of kahikatea and rimu. The lagoon and the surrounding landscape were formed after the volcanic activity of the Taupō Eruption.
Waihora is a tranquil spot and a haven for bird life, such as tūī, bellbird, kererū, kāka and kōkako.