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New Zealand is the seabird capital of the world, with more threatened seabird species than anywhere else and the highest number of seabirds that breed nowhere else in the world.
With this in mind, Estuary Arts Centre in Ōrewa has been holding an annual exhibition with a focus on seabirds for the past four years.
After several postponements due to the recent lockdown, ‘Where the Seabirds Go’ exhibition is on now.
Its organiser, Stanmore Bay artist Valerie Cuthbert, says a total of 33 artists have made works that express the challenges our seabirds face.
“Seabirds have been hard hit with climate change, by-catch, predators, you name it – we’ve lost 70 percent of our seabirds since the 1950s,” she says. “It’s a worldwide problem, but because we are the seabird capital of the world, it’s more obvious here.”
The multi-media exhibition includes prints on paper, installations, photographs, sculptures, handmade books and paintings.
The Hibiscus Coast branch of Forest and Bird have provided predator critters to add context.
There are also workshops with a focus on seabirds.
Valerie says she is very grateful to the artists, and the Hibiscus and Bays local board for their continued support through the changes caused by the lockdown.
The exhibition opened at Estuary Arts Centre in Ōrewa on December 13 and is on until January 9.
