Wild Wild Life

How is Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland City described outside of the official city map? Is it possible to navigate off-road, off-grid? What discrete spaces exist in the plain sight of everyday work, life and commerce? How are these activated by people, flora and fauna? Beyond visual recognition, how might we know them, sensorially? How does revitalisation occur in the transitional spaces of the urban landscape?

Wild Wild Life is a collection of seven artist videos developed in response to the city of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Featuring works by Tia Barrett, Leala Faleseuga, Gavin Hipkins, Jae Hoon Lee, Obadiah Russon, Layne Waerea and Gabriel White, the programme includes a queer road movie, sci-fi wanderings, the historical wairua of Kiekie, migration from Samoa to Māngere, legal definitions of public space, and meditations on our virtual interconnectedness.

Commissioned by Auckland Council and curated by Mark Williams for CIRCUIT Artist Moving Image, Wild Wild Life was originally presented by Te Ahurei Toi o Tāmaki Auckland Arts Festival 2024 and installed at a series of site-specific locations across the inner city.

Programme

Leala Faleseuga (Sāmoa, Salelologa / The Netherlands, Limburg & Friesland), Lealaivaega (2024)

Obadiah Russon, TWICE (2024)

Gabriel White, Motorway Flowers (2024)

Jae Hoon Lee, Space Tree (2024)

Tia Barrett (Waikato—Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Tamainupō, Ngāi Tahu), Maungakiekie (2024)

Layne Waerea (Ngāti Wāhiao, Ngāti Kahungunu, Pākehā) with Joe Jowitt, Ziggy Lever, Deborah Rundle, and Charlie Stringer, Bonus Play (2024)

Gavin Hipkins, Motion of a Current (2024)

To watch the works in Wild Wild Life, click on one of the thumbnails at the left of the screen. Scroll down to see all 7 works and select to view.