Paererewā – the 1,000 Year Bench Project
With a vision for 1,000 markers for reflection to last 1,000 years, Paererewā has been established to create thresholds between the everyday and something deeper – places to sit or rest that encourage us to reflect and think longer-term. These Pae can commemorate people, stories, or events, highlight significant landscapes, or serve as gestures of friendship. They can be initiated by communities, government agencies, or even as legacies, providing a way to mark places of importance for reflection and connection to future generations.
Sam Johnson | Paererewā Founding Trustee and GM | Moderator
Hideaki Fukutake | STILL | Speaker
Kim Paton | Director, Objectspace | Speaker
Madhav Kidao | Nebbia | Speaker
Sam Johnson is the General Manager of Paererewā – the 1,000 year bench project and Projects Director for STILL. Sam has founded and scaled a diverse range of charities, businesses, and ideas that aim to create value for society and enhance common well-being. He’s most well known as the founder of the Student Volunteer Army (SVA), where he served as Chief Executive until joining STILL. Sam has previously received awards for leadership, including the Young New Zealander of the Year, Communicator of the Year, and Blake Leadership Award.
Hideaki Fukutake is a Japanese New Zealand businessman and arts patron. He is the founder and CEO of STILL, a New Zealand-based company focused on enhancing art, culture, and community through business and social enterprise. STILL aims to acquire or start 100 New Zealand businesses that contribute positively to society. Fukutake also serves as a director of Benesse Holdings, a Japanese company founded by his grandfather, and is the chairman of the Fukutake Foundation, which operates Benesse Art Site Naoshima and contributes to the Setouchi Triennale.He moved to New Zealand in 2009 and resides in Auckland with his family.
Kim Paton has been the Director of Objectspace since 2015. Her interest is in interdisciplinary exhibition making across the fields of craft, design, architecture and contemporary art. In 2024 she was awarded the Garvey Cup by Te Kāhui Whaihanga NZIA in honour of her commitment to supporting architecture and its place in the public realm. Paton has curated and written extensively on object-based art forms.
Madhav Kidao is an Indian-born British architect and co-founder of Nebbia Works, a London-based architecture, design, and art studio. His work explores the peripheries of architecture, driven by an interest in idiosyncrasies, contradictions, and undefined boundaries. Kidao has worked internationally in cities such as Tokyo, Amsterdam, and New York. In 2023, he represented Britain at the Venice Biennale as part of the British Pavilion exhibition “Dancing Before the Moon,” showcasing his installation “Bardo,” which reflects on Buddhist spirituality and the transience of life and architecture.
Madhav appears with thanks to support from the British Council New Zealand and the Pacific.
Let’s Talk Art presented by Aon, brings together 30 artists, curators, designers, and collectors for nine compelling talks over three days.
Entry to Let’s Talk Art is on a first come, first serve basis. There is no RSVP.
A valid ticket to the Aotearoa Art Fair 2025 is required for entry to this talk.