CHINESE MULTI-MEDIA ARTIST FEATURES IN VISUAL ARTS PROGRAMME FOR WOMAD NZ 2010

Mu Yu Ming hails from New Plymouth’s sister city in China, Kunming, and will be at WOMAD as part of a four-month New Zealand residency which includes projects in Auckland , Wellington and Christchurch.

WOMAD New Zealand 2010 takes place over three days from March 12-14 at New Plymouth’s Brooklands Park and TSB Bowl and not only features more than 250 music performers from almost every corner of the globe, but also presents a visual arts programme to stimulate the senses.

Mu Yu Ming was born and raised in Kunming and is now based in Yunnan, China where he has founded Farmer Station as a stand-alone gallery, museum and studio space. He specialises in portraiture and undertakes interactive public art projects. He has exhibited in France, the Netherlands, Italy, Denmark, the United States, Singapore, China and Honk Kong and his 20-day interactive public art project has been undertaken in China, Norway and France.

Mu Yu Ming arrives in New Zealand in February and will undertake projects at Chinese New Year events and festivals in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch, as well as featuring at WOMAD New Zealand 2010. As well as workshops and demonstrations, Mu Yu Ming will continue his 20-day Project and his Family Portraits Project. The 20-day Project enlists the involvement of other artists, Asian-Kiwis and passers-by to create art ranging from paintings, to sculptures, video footage or the creation of art performance.

His Family Portraits Project combines conventional oil-on-canvas painted portraits with video interviews to add greater depth to the work and results in large portrait paintings of individuals and family members which will be exhibited and displayed on-site. Mu is particularly interested in featuring Chinese New Zealanders and families descended from the Poll Tax payers in New Zealand.

“I am passionate about art and its role in communication. I have a strong desire to engage with others and I like to share information. I see myself as an ambassador for art and for taking down the white walls around the art world to allow all to participate.”

Also featuring in the visual arts programme at WOMAD New Zealand 2010 is Wellington artist Ashley Turner’s ever-changing light installation ‘Reflective Community’. This interactive totem installation utilises reflective materials and is highly reactive when illuminated with LED light and is part of Ashley’s series of totems and light-based installations.

WOMAD New Zealand 2010 is the sixth WOMAD to be held in New Plymouth and will be attended by more than 38,000 people across the three days.

As well as a stunning line-up of music on seven stages and a visual arts programme, WOMAD New Zealand 2010 also features artists in conversation, live cooking demonstrations and workshops by artists, a global village, sustainable village, Kidzone and the option to camp at the adjacent racecourse or stay marae-style in the TSB Stadium.

WOMAD is an international festival created by Peter Gabriel and Thomas Brooman 27 years ago. Since then 21 countries have hosted the festival and entertained millions of festival goers.

Tickets for WOMAD New Zealand 2010 are available through Ticketek and more information is available on the WOMAD website www.womad.co.nz