Tree hut nurtures the child within

By ALEXIS GRANT

It's a child's dream, but made for adults.

Visitors to the Sue Crockford art gallery can spend the night in a tree hut, made from wood and perched on logs. The exhibit, made by 26-year-old artist Richard Maloy, opens tonight from 5.30pm to 7pm.

Maloy said he constructed the tree house to create a "childlike experience". Standing 2m by 3m and 1.5m high, the house was made from a pine tree in Maloy's parents' yard in Auckland, where he grew up.

He painted the hut white, the same colour as the walls of the gallery, so it would mesh with its surroundings, just as it would if it was set in a tree.

And since the exhibit is being shown on the second floor of the Endean's building on Queen St, visitors should feel like they're perched in a tree, with views of the harbour, he said.

Visitors to the gallery during daytime hours can see the tree hut for free, but staying the night costs $150.

"They're not really buying an object, they're buying time with me," said Maloy, who had his sleeping bag and pillows handy at the gallery. "They buy time with the artist and time with the gallery."

The exhibit, which will be open for 18 nights - until October 30 - has already been booked for several nights. Megan Hansen-Knarhoi, a 29-year-old artist and Auckland resident, plans to sleep there on Wednesday.

"It's not often that you get an opportunity to become a part of an artwork, both conceptually and physically," she said.

The Sue Crockford Gallery is on the second floor of the Endean's building, next to Britomart on Queen St.

Booking

* To reserve a night in Richard Maloy's tree hut, call the Sue Crockford Gallery at (09) 309 5127