Kate Belton

Terminus as the furthermost point to which something extends; the end
point of a journey.

Terminus as the genesis of something; the starting point to an argument
or a proposal.

Initially I had intended to show a floating regatta of huge Origami
cranes and lotus flowers. It is a vision of a paradise made up of
corrugated card which will absorb the water and submerge under its own
weight within hours of its installation. I called this piece "Paradise
Reclaimed". The piece refers to the vast areas of reclaimed land around
Port Otago. Various comportments of paradise sit in my studio capsized
on their sides waiting for their big day. In the meantime I became
distracted with another angle of the same project. I made a real estate
board which advertises a paradise kit containing ready made cranes and
lotus flowers which includes a modest lot replete with water feature.
The advertisement begins "Customise your own paradise..." and assures
its audience that all merchandise is maintenance free for their comfort
and convenience. At the bottom of the board is a lengthy disclaimer
including an expiry date which has passed already. The disclaimer begins
"Beauty and perfection however unequivocal are temporal. All good things
must come to their end. It is better to have loved and lost than never
loved at all. Nothing lasts forever." A proposal terminated before it
even began -stinking of broken promises and unfulfilled dreams. The sign
floats on its back framed by pylons and a concrete mole in the harbour
basin. An idea capsized by its own fragility and absurdity, the sign
discarded there by someone unfulfilled.