Summer is Whānau time. Bright, hot days and long, balmy nights. Visitors from out of town, friends from round the corner. Time to create some new memories. Discover the shapes of summer on Tauranga’s waterfront. Shapes, lights, and installations along the Strand Reserve. Free and open every day, lighting up from dusk until late.
Summer has arrived in Tauranga with a curated collection of light sculptures and installations illuminating the Strand and creating a perfect backdrop for a night out, enjoying the Tauranga waterfront and the warmer weather. Award winning light artist Angus Muir has returned to Tauranga, to create Shapes of Summer, a vibrant playground of light, inspired by the colours, shapes and sounds of Tauranga Moana.
A series of installations run the length of the Strand Reserve, from Wharf Street to Dive Crescent, encouraging locals and visitors alike to explore the central city waterfront. This year’s works include Bloom, by Harris Keenan, a larger than life set of neon flowers; Flamboyance, a flock of digital flamingos; and Trilogy, by the South Island Light Orchestra, a towering set of interactive light tubes that respond to touch, creating a unique soundscape for our waterfront.
Tauranga City Council’s arts and culture manager, James Wilson, says that Shapes of Summer is designed to be a celebration of Summer in the city: “After a challenging year, Summer in our city is a time to relax, spend time with whānau and friends, and make the most of the long, balmy nights. Our city centre waterfront is the perfect location for this stunning series of light sculptures and installations, a spectacle for all the family to explore and enjoy. Angus Muir and his tight-knit team of designers are masters of lighting and design, and their works have been seen at some of the best light festivals and events around the world. I’m thrilled that Angus has curated a special collection of works specifically for Tauranga, celebrating our beautiful central-city waterfront.”
Shapes of Summer includes several interactive installations, as well as works that include sound and movement. Together, the collection is an instagrammer’s dream, with plenty of opportunities for capturing selfies and family holiday photos.
Shapes of Summer is just one of many reasons to explore Tauranga’s CBD this summer, says James Wilson: “The central city is buzzing this summer- whether it’s catching the latest exhibition at Tauranga Art Gallery, a night at the theatre with Baycourt, dinner and drinks with friends on Wharf Street, a movie under the stars, or sunrise yoga on the waterfront, there is so much to see and do in the city over the next few months.” For the latest information on what’s happening in the city, head to www.mytauranga.co.nz
Shapes of Summer is free and open to everyone, from dusk until late, every night through until February 6th 2023.
Images: Luke Foley-Martin
