Throughout the winter season, locals took away more then just clean laundry when they visited their local Laundromat. Whau the People and local artists presented 6 art projects across Laundromats in the Whau. Some were unscheduled and unexpected and some you could plan your laundry day around.
Artists included Bronwyn Bent, Janet Lilo, Takitua Tuaratini, The Pacific Mamas, Jody Yawa McMillan, Siliga David Setoga, The Creative Souls and Auckland Gospel Choir.
Janet Lilo | Bumper stickers
I haven’t had any complaints (yet) about the shonky hand-cut font but I think it’s not really the point. Over the weekend I visited three different Whau Laundromats and made bumper stickers for waiting patrons. To be honest, it’s not that easy approaching a stranger without coming across as a bit strange, BUT, people have been really great and into it – even if it is strange. Pictured below is Don. He told me that his surname was too long for a bumper sticker and to just stick with DON – but I totally disagreed. Over the next two weeks, I plan to visit every laundromat in the Whau. Days, times and locations at random. SERIES 5 / janet lilo x
The Creative Souls
Big ups to Deahne Lakatani from The Creative Souls Project for setting up a crafting station at the Washouse Laundromat on Rosebank Road in the weekend. Unfortunately, there were very few pictures taken because we spent most of it crafting and chatting BUT, if you were there, you would have been one of the lucky customers who got to walk away with some very nice smelling balls to go with your washing. wtp x
Siliga David Setoga
‘Soli Sapati’ (to trample on the Sabbath)
When I was growing up, if there was one thing my Mother despised us doing, it was the washing on Sundays. It’s understandable and I acknowledge that we must keep the Sabbath sacred, and contextually doing the washing in Samoa is a labour intensive activity, it consists of lugging your washing to the nearest water source, a spring or the river, where one would soak, scrunch and beat the garments until they were clean before rinsing and squeezing them out. Then carting your fresh laundry back home to hang.
That is a far cry from chucking your dirties into the washing machine and turning on the machine, which is in the privacy of your own home or the local Laundromat. But rules are rules I suppose.
If doing the laundry on Sunday is deemed trampling, and work of any kind is held in the same vein, then, what if my survival depended on it? Michael Jones refused to play on Sundays as a matter of principle, and well before this professional age. But, for those of us dependent on a pay packet, week to week, I wonder at which point do we start bending our own rules. If it means survival, is it ok? Is it ok if I am washing my Church Whites for next Sunday?
This performance is based on just that, washing my Church Whites for next Sabbath. I am questioning and self critiquing how far and when does the guilt of my actions kick in (the answer to that shall remain between me and my maker), after all guilt is a bag you choose to carry.
Siliga David Setoga
The Sabbath Trampler.
A quiet performance
On a rainy Saturday night at the (not so) Dry Blue Sea Laundromat, there was a quiet performance about the never-ending task of doing the laundry.
There was also some happenings, reminiscent of a certain Levis advert from the 80’s….
Thanks to everyone involved…Laundromat visitors, Dry Blue Sea Laundromat, Bronwyn Bent, Tuli To’oala, Lucy McCammon, Jose Barbosa and Charlie.
Pacifica Mamas
Tuaratini and the Pacifica Mamas from the Pacifica Arts Centre, transported Laundromat visitors to Polynesia…
To a time of epic voyages and heroic adventures…
A time when the Gods lived in every breath, chant and song…
It was an afternoon of interactive storytelling, drumming and dance as we shared in the “The Legend of the Drum” an ancient tale of family, laugh
