Project 102 - What if the Gold Needs to Stay in the Ground?

February 19 - April 2, 2026

What if the Gold Needs to Stay in the Ground

125 George Street, Ōtepoti Dunedin

Property Partner: Nanking Investments

Images: Justin Spiers

Dunedin Dream Brokerage supported What if the Gold Needs to Stay in the Ground?, a 42-day installation by Ōtepoti-based artist and writer Kirstie McKinnon, developed in response to proposed gold mining in the Dunstan Ranges.

Bringing together a collective of visual artists and writers, the project engaged with questions of environmental stewardship, extraction, and responsibility to whenua. At its centre, a sculptural mountain form articulated both weight and vulnerability, evoking the fragility of landscapes subject to resource extraction.

The installation combined visual art and literary contributions to create a contemplative, immersive environment. Visitors were invited to move through the space at their own pace, reflect on what may be lost and what might yet be protected, and contribute their own responses, forming an evolving collective record.

Participating visual artists included Claire Beynon, Liz Abbott, Nicholena Pine, and Rachel McMillian. Literary contributions featured work by Emma Neale, Michelle Elvy, Iona Winter, Carolyn McCurdie, David Kārena-Holmes, Robert Sullivan, Megan Kitching, Kim Cope Tait, Lissa Moore, and others.

The project was activated through a series of public events, including an opening with karakia and waiata, and a poetry reading held at the Dunedin City Library, extending the work’s engagement beyond the installation site. The project concluded with a solo acapella performance of an original song by a contributing artist, followed by a collective deinstallation. 

Media

Installation takes on Central gold mine - The Star