Varieties of us: a case study in boundary and landscape in Aotearoa

Abstract

This project is a case study in the use of collaborative multi-disciplinary methodology to explore the nature of boundary within a suburban coastal site in New Zealand. The chosen site includes historic Maori settlement, private residences and public parkland. The concept of land ownership in New Zealand, especially the contrasting cultural attitudes of the indigenous people the Maori, and the European colonisers regarding territorial claim is frequently discussed, and there is a constant challenging of normative postcolonial concepts of ownership and boundary. The objective of this project was to contribute to and extend this discourse on ownership and occupation. This was undertaken by using a study of public/private boundary conditions through a series of paintings and drawings sourced from the observations and experiences of multiple site visits. The images are supported and placed into context by mapping, photography and publication design and through this process four categories of boundary type were identified within the site. The results of the study demonstrate a capability for art to not only challenge existing notions of land demarcation and categorization, but to also identify varieties of approach to the concept of boundary. The methodology was also found to be useful in revealing the subtle cues and possibilities that exist for design within everyday experiences of privacy, ownership and occupation within a landscape. The relevance of the study's conclusions is to the role of fine art in conducting site analysis of disputed and/or neglected sites, and in challenging normative approaches to mapping and boundary design analysis regarding public and private space.