Putting a playful spin on city landmarks

By brenda.harwood@thestar.co.nz | Posted:

A vision of Dunedin in the colourful works of iconic Dunedin artist Annie Baird is inspiring young visitors to Dunedin Public Art Gallery to explore the city in their own way.

Based on Baird’s original art in the 1981 book ABC Letters from Dunedin, the "You Spy, Eye Spy Ōtepoti" exhibition showcases a selection of images depicting everything from Dunedin Railway Station to the Taiaroa Head albatross colony.

The exhibition and associated programme for children, entitled "I Spy, You Spy, Let’s Play Eye Spy Ōtepoti", was created by gallery staff member Jennifer Boland to direct children and families towards exploring four city cultural institutions — the City Library, Toitu Otago Settlers Museum, Tuhura Otago Museum, and DPAG itself.

DPAG visitor programmes co-ordinator Mya Morrison-Middleton said families were able to collect a free map, and were encouraged to find objects and draw them on the back of the map to create their own exhibit.

The exhibition and associated programme had been running during the summer, and had proven popular with families, she said.

"Children have had a lot of fun with the letters of the alphabet here in the gallery, and have also loved the game of finding images in our institutions."

The family activity will run until the end of March, and the Baird exhibition will continue at the gallery until May.

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