Rest Area

This work pays homage to a key event in New Zealand's conservation movement - The Maruia Declaration, protecting the remaining native forests against commercial logging in the 1970's.

This diagrammatic typographical study of the 17 podocarp species native to New Zealand digitally references actual botanical specimens held in our public archives. The botanical 'glyphs' vary in appearance, distorted, stretched and elongated, falling or decscending vertically. At times they are akin to vibrant digital graphics, waterfalls, light landing on canopy foliage, tree bark, mist or forest fungal growth.

Text from the declaration petition itself are etched into the painting support. The chosen duotone approach to colour relates to the branding and signage of the Department of Conservation, commonly seen in forest and park areas around the country.