This video is about something that is everywhere
but taken for granted.
They are here
and here
and even here.
Have you worked out what it is?
That's right, this video is about... stairs.
More specifically, these ones
which are known as Christchurch's stairs to nowhere
The building that these stairs led to is long gone.
It was demolished about 10 years ago after the earthquakes.
But these stairs remain.
They are a crumbling surviver
and a canvas for the city's street artists.
But why did these stairs survive?
and what did they used to lead to?
The answer to that question involves Starwars themed raves
a Hollywood movie star
and a welcoming place for the city's migrants and refugees.
Let's start by talking to a man called Nick
who used to run a cinema at the top of these stairs.
So, it was 1981
we opened this flash new, continental style cinema
it was at the time of VHS, so there was a lot riding on it
a very risk... risky piece of business.
When this beautiful cinema was open
we needed a film to open it with
so we did this Hollywood walk of fame and pecured the release of Americana
and that was very much a David Carradine vehicle.
He did the hand thing outside the cinema
very laid back, towering guy
spent most of the time spoking pot here.
It was quite an occasion
but the actual film failed miserably at the box office
and it received pretty negative reviews, it was a bit of a snoreathon.
These stairs also inspired an artist, he's called Ghost Cat or Mike Beer
and he talked to us about why he made a mini model of these very stairs.
Well it's this lost relic almost you know,
it's part of something that used to exist in Christchurch
and it's stairs that drop off to nowhere which I don't know why, that's pretty cool!
Yeah, it just spoke to me you know? I had to make them.
I knew instantly when I saw them 'I've got to make those!'.
The tiles on the steps were a pain.
But I had to break every one as they were broke at the time when I took a picture
and lots of pictures, reference pictures printed off
and just spending hours and hours...
yeah, I lost the will to live that day!
But I think it was worth it on the overall effect.
The beginning became a bit of a dumping ground for films that people didn't want.
There were definitely titty double features, titty trifectas and nipple triples. Yup!
Paid the wages, you know?
It was definitely a bohemian place to go.
Multiple raves, I think we had the Empire Strikes Back rave.
I do remember a bunch of about 12 cops marching in there about 1:00AM
and unplugging all the amps and with battons they were just like that
all in a row on our big stage
and closed us down.
We had a lot of live events, amongst them was Stereolab
which was quite an event.
We had 500 people packed into a venue that was only supposed to have 370.
Took out all the seats.
It was so hot that everyone was gagging, almost to the point of passing out!
There was so many people in there.
That's all I remember of it, the whole night was a bit of a blast
but everybody enjoyed themselves.
Then when the cinema closed, a new tenant moved in.
They were Peeto, a language school
teaching english to the city's new arrivals, to it's refugees and migrants
Here's Patrick O'Connor who ran the school.
There would have been hundreds if not thousands of students
that have gone through, from up to 50 ethnicities I would say.
I think it just illustrates to me
the sort of defiance of the culture and the physical building
we loved so much here, that's still here
saying 'to hell with earthquakes' and 'we're not going away'.
Peeto has still got a place in this city
even though many passers by would never have a clue where this stairway went...
We know!
And I think that's a nice spiritual thing to consider.
But why did these stairs survive?
Well, it turns out there is some vital electronic gear inside.
This power transformer was the key to their survival.
It's like myself, my staff and my students are saying
'now hold on a minute mate, we're not going away that easily.'
We are not only a city in progress, with things that are happening
lots of great art is coming out of Christchurch
and it's kind of represented in this piece
but it's also a time to remember old Christchurch, and the great things that used to be
and moving forward with new Christchurch, so that's to me what I feel like it represents.
Yeah, it's a piece of art really.
It's a stairway to heaven isn't it?
Well for me, it's a stairway to heaven.