As the darkest day of the year closes in, let us lure you out of hibernation with the promise of a sugary-sweet afternoon in Candy Coated. Like the gingerbread house in Hansel & Gretel, Candy Coated is a sugar-frosted-pink-bubblegum delight designed to coax you in, only for the door to shut heavily behind you.

Catch a delicious line-up of Wellington poets as they whisper sweet and sinister nothings in your ear.

Then, take part in hands-on sensory experimentation with a team of food scientists to explore the mysterious ways your senses impact your perception of flavour.

Join artist Laura Duffy in discussion with Simon Gennard, or take a romp down the lolly aisle with Senior Curator Chelsea Nichols leading to some very dark places.

Finally, join Poneke-based singer & electronic producer, Strange Stains, for industrial-pop soundscapes, droning synths and reverb-soaked vocals that conjure a mood “somewhere between the soundtrack to an 80s horror movie and a lullaby”.

Programme

3pm – Poetry reading: Sam Duckor-Jones & friends

MC Sam Duckor-Jones is joined by poets— Areez Katki, Tayi Tibble, Freya Sadgrove, Claudia Jardine and Becca Hawkes — responding to the sickly sweet themes of Candy Coated.

4pm – Stimulate your Senses, interactive lecture

Take part in a hands-on sensory experimentation session with a team of food scientists from Otago University to explore the ways in which your sense of smell, sight and hearing impact your perception of flavour.

5pm – Curator-led tour of Candy Coated

Tread the fine line between sweet and sickening as you take a walk through Candy Coated with Senior Curator Chelsea Nichols.

5.30pm – Laura Duffy: In Conversation

Join artist Laura Duffy in conversation with friend, writer & curator Simon Gennard as they discuss her work, Garden of Purity, and queering the binaries of repulsion and desire.

6.15pm – Strange Stains

Known for her singular approach and excitable energy, join Strange Stains for a mesmerising and luscious performance of industrial-pop soundscapes that encourage footloose abandon. DIY Ableton beats, a faithful synth, and a strapped-on microphone are just some of the tools used in crafting the fresh aural stains of this bogan Madonna.