LAST Friday a student artist infiltrated Te Papa Museum.
A small blue painting was first placed next to the Peter Trevelyan mirrored work outside Te Papa, and then underneath a Judy Millar artwork in a fifth floor exhibition. The work featured the words: “I Believe IN John Key. He Wouldn’t Lie to US”.
Te Papa guides either didn’t notice or didn’t mind the addition to the exhibition. Eventually, according the Jim and Mary Barr’s blog, a young arts student walked into the room, took a couple of pictures, popped the painting under his arm and walked off again. They said the infiltration was for a performance installation course.
Te Papa’s communications manager Jane Keig says while it wasn’t noticed at the time, a curator she spoke to was aware of what happened.
“This kind of artistic expression has its place in history,” says Keig. “We’re not terribly worried about it, but we wouldn’t want everyone coming and doing that.” She adds the 18 metre “Our Space” wall in Te Papa, where people can upload images and text, is a more appropriate medium.
The artist did break the “no photography” rules, however. This is important because it protects the copyright of the artists, Keig says.