Auckland Art Week is well and truly underway, but one artist has made the event about much more than just aesthetics.
Social practice artist Tiffany Singh is using her creative flare to raise money and collect food for homeless people across the city.
It's not the usual sight or sound you'd find in Auckland's CBD, but a tree decorated with ribbons and fair trade bells is the starting point for Singh's Art4Food project.
"I think I'm fairly well known for making rainbows, it's a colour spectrum that's become a motif for much of my work," she says.
During Auckland Art Week, Singh has a range of beeswax sculptures on display - not for sale, but for swap.
Her works, inside St Matthew's in the City, could each be exchanged for a tin of salmon for the Auckland City Mission.
"I think this project is a really good example of social arts practice, and bringing different community partners together to address social and political needs through the vehicle of art," Singh says.
The idea stemmed from a previous project where she worked with children from decile 1 and 2 schools.
"One of the things that was highlighted from that project was the need for food and warmth and shelter."
It's an initiative that's been welcomed by the Auckland City Mission, who says it's involving the entire community.
"It gives a vehicle and a bridge for a whole community to respond."
Singh says the salmon swap wasn't the only way to contribute to Art4Food.
On the other side of the CBD, outside the Auckland Art Gallery, something else was also cooking.
Tasty treats could be bought from food trucks and people 'paid it forward' with an extra donation to the Mission.
"Then we will take that money and turn it into fresh food and create a meal for the city mission drop-in service," Singh says.
It's art that'll leave a good taste in your mouth.
Newshub.
