Local Focus: Trumpet Flowers to blow your own horn in Hastings

At first, nobody knows exactly to do with this artwork, but they soon work out it's about having fun.

Located in the centre of Hastings, Trumpet Flowers features 27 trumpet keys and 27 trumpet flowers up to 6m tall, that light up at night.

It is in Hastings thanks to local man Anthony van Dorsten, of Vesica Aotearoa, who is touring the work around the country "to inspire awe and wonder with light and installation art".

Heretaunga St lit up by Trumpet Flower. Photo / Patrick O'Sullivan

"This particular piece is by a Sydney-based collective called Amigo & Amigo, headed by a good friend of mine, Simone Chua," van Dorsten said.

"Trumpet flowers is an immersive and interactive piece that brings a lot of joy.

"Each of the buttons has a recorded piece of the brass band recorded to it so when a button is hit, it triggers sound and you can really get a brass band fully going when you have got everybody playing on it."

Guaranteed to raise a smile. Photo / Patrick O'Sullivan

... or a laugh. Photo / Patrick O'Sullivan

There are more light sculptures planned.

Hastings District Council CBD Activation Officer Andrea Taaffe said Trumpet Flowers was part of the Council's "vibrancy plan". She said Trumpet Flowers was the most interactive art work so far under the plan.

"I was down here last night and we had between 40 and 50 people at any time, aged between two years and 70 years, just having a great time," she said.

Van Dorsten's company tours installations throughout New Zealand.

Formerly a crafter of cricket bats at Napier's Laver & Wood, the Hastings resident found inspiration for his successful business in the United States.

"My favourite artists are a duo called HYBYCOZO. I met them out of Burning Man and we got talking. I realised they are far too busy to take their art to Australia or New Zealand and saw a little bit of an opportunity.

Trumpet Flowers is in the central plaza of Hastings until February 25.

"I cancelled a surf trip to Southern California and Mexico and went north to Oakland. I went to their studio and understood their fabrication process and realised we could build their art here and tour it - try and inspire local artists to think bigger and brighter."

Trumpet Flowers is open for play every day until 1am in Hastings CBD, running through until February 25.

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