In Transit

Over the past few weeks I had been wondering what the Council and Sculpture Trust were constructing on Karo Drive (the bypass). Initially I was a little worried that it would be yet another kinetic wind sculpture... but I'm really not sure about what is going up - it looks a little too shantytownish for my liking.

Don't get me wrong - i'm loving most of the works put up by the trust since it came about in the 1980s - so many have become icons of Wellington (the fern ball, albatross fountain, sky blues (the neon lights), Per Capita (the silhouette one) and so on), but this one looks like it should have one of those wacky sign things where you poke your head through a hole and get your photo taken, or some stocks.

I'll reserve judgement till we see the final thing - I really do hope it works.

Art for Art's & Victor's sake

Last night was the IHC Art Awards out at the Dowse. I was bidding on behalf of the chair for two or three in the main auction - only managed to get one, but we drove the price up in the others anyway!

But after the high of bidding we all got a bit carried away and started bidding in the silent auction (which we were running!) .

At first I tried to buy this one - which I like to call Shagging Penguins. But then Victor Bright came over to help sell his untitled painting - by the end it hadn't reached the reserve - so I chucked a bid in and ended up buying it (pictured).

URRRRRRRR

No you're it

Over the weekend One Moment Caller did the whole tag/favourite bit of art thing. So here goes nothing... no really.

I was going to take a picture of my 'Retard' plate, but then I wasn't sure where the line was for art... I then thought - well if we're going to broach that subject...

I give you a collaborative work from New Zealand's latest artistic collective - which I like to call the 'Key Chain Gang'.

The work:
Key Chain Gang, Untitled, 2008, found objects, dimensions variable.
Courtesy of Mister Minit.

The story:
We (as in the collective) bought this compelling work over the last three or four years. You will note the red key shaped element at its heart which is possibly a political symbol. The red hinting at a socialist core, being surrounded by representations of family through the placement of the keys to their homes with the large black Peugeot element almost demonstrating a cold industrial landscape behind everything. Also the representation of Master Yoda is an interesting comment on the guidance that the older members of our community provide (pointing any fingers, I am not... DO), while the Phoenix season ticket holder tag represents a cold sad hopelessness and utter despair.

Ok piss taken. Your turn.

Festivas for the rest of us

The Documentary Film Festival has just got under way. The standout in the line up has to be Spike Lee's four hour epic When the Levees Broke. The film was originally shown on HBO in the states in four parts. Lee goes around interviewing residents of New Orleans post-Katrina. By all accounts it is an incredibly moving picture.

Also, the International Festival of the Arts has launched their programme. The free projection show (Body Moves) on the city-side of Te Papa looks great, and I hope it works as well as the Waitangi Park outdoor exhibition at the last festival.

Composer Philip Glass', new work, Book of Longing, based on the 'poetry and images' of Leonard Cohen looks great. Giselle, the dance work by the 'Fabulous Beast Dance Company' of Ireland looks so crazy that it must be fun to watch!

Of course Blackbird will attract a lot of attention as a result of being directed by Cate Blanchett, but the blurb does make it look interesting. Might be hard to get tickets though given Blanchett's involvement (and the fact that its name is similar to my blog!)

If the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain are half as good as Wellington's International Ukulele Orchestra - then this show is an absolute must-see. Apparently they play songs by Tchaikovsky, Nirvana, Kate Bush, The Sex Pistols, Otis Redding and many others - sounds like a great night. Also good to see that they are taking performances out to the provinces, with shows in Masterton and Pram.

Finishing it off, the excellent David (possibly the funniest man in NZ) Fane probably makes going to the Bro'Town live stage show worthwhile.

Check it out - its festivals like these that make Wellington great.

The Reynolds

I finally got around to getting the free John Reynolds work from the Free NZ Art exhibition block mounted - and im pretty happy with the results!

Ive put it up in my office which given what it says (pictured) and its caused a few laughs etc around the office - and the boss got a kick out of it so thats a pretty good result too I guess.

More information on the philosopher - Soren Kierkegaard

Apologies for the picture quality, but it was only taken on my phone.

PS. Was anyone else shocked that Chris hasn't fallen for the story below?

Kahukura

New addition to my walls - Gordon Walters' Kahukura (obviously not the original 0 but rather a print of it from Te Papa's fantastic redeveloped gift shop). This is to compliment Yvonne Todd's "Together" and the two Dick Frizzell cushions that I bought - but forgot to blog about last week. You can see them here in any case - Tiki and Tui are the one's I bought.

Together we can rebuild our lives

Today I got free art! Im just not sure whether to put it up at home or in my office.

In 2005 Artspace in Auckland ran an exhibition called "Free NZ Art" it essentially was stacks of posters of new works by contemporary artists including Gordon Walters, John Reynolds, et al among others.

From this collection I already had Dane Mitchell's "Bubblewrap" (which is a photo of bubblewrap), but now I also have Yvonne Todd's "Together" (pictured).

I love the ambiguity of it - there is something almost dark or sinister about it, dont you think?

Im thinking I will put it up at home, and then try to get the Reynolds one for my office - which has the text - "What Kierkegaard said about God - applies to politics too: whatever we think, we are bound, in the end, to be wrong." Which I think will suit my office.