Pablo Picasso once said that “art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life”.
By Picasso’s reckoning, Motueka High School must be pretty spotless.
The school’s arts department is thriving this term, with students creating a joyous range of visual art, dance and music.
The Year 10 students broadened their skills with a street art mash-up, as well as studying the life and creative style of performance and pop artist Jim Dine.
The art of their Year 9 counterparts will be displayed in the library later this month, showcasing their pieces inspired by kōrero pūrākau, or traditional storytelling.
The annual talent quest was held mid-May, with 60 students comprising 21 acts competing for prizes across the dance, vocal, instrumental, variety and band categories. Meanwhile, the tech crew worked hard behind the scenes to keep the show running smoothly.
New Zealand Music Month in May was celebrated with lunchtime concerts at Te Noninga Kumu – Motueka Library, and despite the nerves, the students enjoyed the challenge of performing for an audience.
Rockquest provided another opportunity to shine, as did the Smokefree Tangata Beats event, which celebrates Māori and Pasifika bands. Imperfect Circle, a band with many originals to its name and credits on Spotify, earned a spot in the Rockquest final on 22 June.
Motueka High School’s dancers also have an upcoming performance – their event Momentum is to be held at Memorial Hall on Thursday, 20 June, with entry by koha.
This week also sees the commencement of the school’s level three photography exhibition, based on “culturally-inspired photographs and running from Friday, 21 June, at the school itself.
