Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
We've arrived at an interesting juncture here in New Zealand right now. The division between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated could become a deep chasm if we don't all take a breath and think about what New Zealand means to us all. I'm not religious at all, but I have a lot of religious friends. We get on. We accept we have different beliefs and sometimes values, but it doesn't stand between us having good times when we catch up.
On the most part New Zealand has always excelled for its inclusivenes. We're floating around on a completely insignificant string of islands in the South Pacific about as far away from the rest of the world as you can get. That has always helped to forge a special bond among us and created an environment where we can have a melting pot of minds solving problems, being creative and embracing our differences. That's what makes us Kiwis.
Now with the globalisation of the world, our media, and in particular social media, we're connected to nearly anyone we want to be connected to. Or any groups. My bunch of mates who I grew up surfing with were the ones shaping my ideas. We all lived through similar experiences and interpreted the world together. That shaped our view of the world we wanted to live in.
Now, that group is online and infinite in scale and belief systems. It's quite frightening. No matter which way we lean, it shouldn't divide us. My unvaccinated friends and family are still the awesome people they were before Covid came along. They have their own reasons for not wanting to be vaccinated and New Zealanders have always been good at accepting each other's decisions. Mandates and ultimatums won't change people's minds. They just serve to deepen the divide no matter how well intentioned they might be.
Covid is here to stay and it's going to have a long tail. Now, more than ever – in my lifetime anyway, it is the time to get on with what New Zealanders do best: using ingenuity and creativity to solve this social puzzle, accept each other's differences and shape the world the way we want it to be.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS We've just hung our biggest ever artwork in the Box of Light Gallery – a whopping 2.4m x 1.1m cotton rag art print, mounted to aluminium for frameless hanging. It's a picture of a wave breaking at Second Beach, St Clair. I'm amazed at the detail that has emerged in this one. You're going to need a big wall or office, but pop in and check it out any time. Or arrange a viewing: 021 139 8188. We also have heaps of books for sale – the perfect gift for Xmas.
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: