Project 88 - Rope/Walk

3 November, 2024.

Rope/Walk by Kari Morseth

Donaghy’s Rope Walk, Bathgate Park, South Dunedin.

Property Partner: Dunedin City Council

Images: Justin Spiers

Ōtepoti Dunedin artist Kari Morseth’s project titled Rope/Walk was an outdoor art event where members of the public were invited to have a go at hand twining and contribute to the making of a 300 meter rope, which is also the length of the exterior of the Historic Rope Walk building.  

With an environmental and sustainability message at its core, Rope/Walk - through hands-on participation aimed to encourage and inspire participants to think about, and use, responsibly and respectfully, the materials at hand. By twining cordage alongside the rope walk this project aims to draw attention to a period of history when rope was made of harakeke New Zealand flax and in Aotearoa a significant industry developed from this culturally important plant, that lasted for decades. 

Kari Morseth was joined by artist Chris Schmelz who filmed and photographed participants hands while twining. The film will be shown with the finished rope as the second part of the project, coming soon!

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