Archived: The Journey of a Million Miles – Following Steps

Explore a compelling new exhibition inspired by real-life migration experiences to New Zealand. Social practice artist, Tiffany Singh, has created a powerful installation that unpacks the conversations around resettling in Aotearoa.

Relevant and engaging, “The Journey of a Million Miles – Following Steps” will transform the Edmiston Gallery at the New Zealand Maritime Museum into a stunning and thought-provoking environment. Music, audio and digital technology are used to convey and share a variety of migration experiences that reflect the joy, heartache and confusion of moving to a new land. Throughout the duration of the exhibition, visitors will be invited to contribute to a fleet of tiny golden boats that will flow around four up-cycled dinghies. Visitors will also be able to share their immigration stories, which will be integrated into the exhibition.

“I hope that by engaging with the artwork and the stories, people will take away a new understanding of what it’s like to resettle here,” says Singh. “Through listening to the different stories there is the potential to build tolerance, compassion and an awareness that can filter down to the younger generations so that we can build a more harmonious society.”

The exhibition, which runs between 18 March - 3 September, is the second stage of a project conceived for this year’s headland Sculpture on the Gulf: “A Journey of a Million Miles Begins with One Step – The Stories of Beyond Refuge”. Staged on Waiheke Island, the first installation was created in partnership with Auckland Resettled Community Coalition and based on the publication Beyond Refuge – Stories of Resettlement in Auckland. At the NZ Maritime Museum the project expands its focus to consider all immigration stories.

Accompanying the exhibition is a wide range of family friendly public programmes, which include workshops, public talks and live performances throughout the run of the exhibition.

Come and explore this pertinent exhibition and celebrate the growing diversity of New Zealand.