The High Country by Joanna Langford for SCAPE 6

The High Country was an aerial utopian city installation that appeared to be floating above its urban surroundings.

This fanciful work utilised existing found and recycled materials to create an image of lush pastures surrounding an illuminated model city. Contrasting with the new urban environment of Christchurch, as epitomised by gap sites and vacant lots, Langford’s work provided a whimsical visionary environment.

Known for the spontaneity of her work and attention to materials, Langford creates her seemingly ethereal structures from often overlooked items that emphasise her re-purposing of them. By taking advantage of some of the 320,000 kilometres (nearly eight times the circumference of the Earth) of plastic silage wrap disposed of every year, the artist has created a fantastical environment through an adept transformation of the materials.