I had a lovely evening at the gardens, with Twinset, and Charlies' Lemon Quencher, and good company. 

Then I saw this:

And I thought hmm, that's interesting. I've seen the same sort of thing on the net. Then I saw the signs that said 'artist'. Then I got a little grumpy. 

Should an artist be paid (which i assume she is for the project), for something that is essentially this or this

or this or this?

There's a blurb about it here. I wouldn't have an issue if she said, oh i'm referencing so and so, or inspired by the work of others, or simply - i'm carrying on something others have started. Or even developed the idea further, adjusting it, exploring it. 

Am i being a massive art snob here who is determined that people should be recognised for their great ideas? Tell me to get over it if i am. I don't particularly enjoy being grumpy.

Things to do on cold days

How cold has this weekend been? winter is well and truly here...please note that I am very happy having seen that snow has fallen on the slopes of Mt Ruapehu...pffft to any nonsense about volcanic activity there. If the petrol man reads this, can you please put petrol down to oh, say $1 a litre so I can afford to go snowboarding every weekend this winter? that would be great, thanks.

Obviously there isn't yet enough snow for riding, so I had to settle for hanging out with the boy at Pataka. Tough, i know. I was actually not too keen to go, as I knew there was some Samoan art exhibition on. Three years working at Te Papa and not studying any contemporary Pacific art during my art history degree gave me the distinct impression that Pacific art was all tapa cloths and garish quilts. I am happily proved wrong.

Samoa Contemporary opens with a not-too exciting entrance, and made me wonder if that was 'it'. A beautiful waka carved from what seemed to be deep blue acrylic had wavy grooves running the length of it, offset with blue light above that made the waka itself look like the depths of the ocean. It was somewhat mysterious in its simplicity. The catalogue tells me (of course i didn't pay attention to names when i was there) that it is the work of John Ioane. There you go.

Hmm this catalogue is going to come in very handy...

Niki Hastings-McFall's work is I feel the Samoan version of Judy Darragh. Lamps collected from TradeMe (where else!) and second hand shops have their lampshades covered with $2 shop lei flowers, resulting in a cluster of glowing colour. I found the tacky kitsch totally appealling, and saw the first exploration of a theme that seemed to run through the whole show - the Samoan culture is one that does not do things by halves. Lamps overrun with flowers, lounge rooms crammed proudly full of children's successes, huge charcoal drawings and full-body tattoos. 

Following was a video of a performance work by Shigeyuki Kihara which was haunting and beautiful...There is something infinitely graceful in Pacific dance, the way the hands are used to tell a story and their movement is so fluid. The exhibition leads you on (something equally good about it, which i'll mention later...) through another installation, this one by my waka-making friend, John Ioane. Wasn't so fussed by the totem-like poles that seemed to serve as trees as you walked through to the next part. Apparently that's part of the meaning - journey - so i guess it works but they weren't terribly pretty.

Michel Tuffery's giant flies stuck to the walls through to the next section...and as with John's installation, I could take or leave Tuffery's flies. They're ok i suppose, but i much prefer his corned beef bulls (one of which is at the entrance to the exhibition on permanent display). The large room though, blew me away. All my previous Samoan-art stereotypes disintegrated in front of Greg Semu (the best) and Lonnie Hutchinson's work. 

I'll start with Lonnie as hers was my favourite. Vinyl-inspired circles of petal-like spirals dotted the walls to either side of the larger works. Made from building paper, they were fragile in design and construction but their darkness and the shadows cast on the white gallery walls made for a fantastic composition of opposites. Two 'clouds' cut from black acrylic floated by in their pattern-induced lightness. Taking centre stage was a massive black frame enclosing a pseudo-Maori pattern cut from more black acrylic. The whole was overlaid with clear acrylic and up close I felt like I was looking at a tv. The shiny-ness (is that a word?!) and clean lines coupled with the dimensions made me feel as if i was standing in an art collector's lounge looking at their plasma screen. Standing back the effect was even more impressive - strong curves complemented the rectangular outline and were projected onto the wall by the clever lighting. I was speechless, it was so fantastic. In my opinion, it doesn't really matter what the meaning of a work is if you find it staggeringly beautiful. This, i would very very happily part with some cash for. Couldn't care less what it means. For me, the contrast of black and white, matt and gloss, curves and lines, delicate and strong, was IT.

Greg Semu's photographs were Epic with a capital E. There was a set of three self portraits of his pe'a. Damn those tattoos are impressive. I liked the way he 'chopped off his own head' in the images, leaving us only to wonder who the person was behind the ink. The boy pointed out the amount of solid black on his legs - just how much that would have hurt. I was more curious by the fact in the third picture he could hold all his bits in one hand. But anyway...

Directly opposite were two more images by the same artist. Greg was artist in residence at the Musee du quai Branly in Paris, and the effect of working in a museum is evident in his work. One of the very large photos recreates a battle scene during the New Zealand Maori wars. My art history degree did come in handy here - I could see his reference to Jacque Louis David's grand battle scenes of the 18th century, and the Maori man in full uniform is a clear imitation of the magnificent 'Napolean on his steed' (or whatever it's called) painting. The glossiness of the image and the obvious stage setting again calls upon the past masters. The boy  and i had great fun pulling apart his oh-so-meticulously planned composition - diagonals to the corners, a patu blocking your eye from exiting the image, the lines leading you to look around and finally fall on the man astride his rearing horse. Brilliant. 

Right next door is an incredibly confronting image of what appears to be a shrunken Maori head. Quite appropriate considering - i think it's the French who are refusing to return the heads they have in their museum collections. On closer inspection the head is clearly carved from wood, but it is haunting all the same. It is a stark colour image of black on white, and if i think about it this could be looking at the issue of returning Maori artifacts. Most would see it as a black and white situation - return what was never yours to take. Obviously nothing is ever so simple....

I think i've rambled on enough. I must quickly mention Lorene Taurerewa's back-lit mobile of pen and ink drawings, a fascinating piece that one could spend ages looking at because of the detail in all the sketches. On stepping back from it, it looked different again - a play on how things change when you actually take the time to look closer and find out more, as opposed to standing back and just seeing the superficial information. Which sums it up nicely for me, I think. I walked into the exhibition thinking i knew what there was to know about Samoan art, and came out of it with a new appreciation. Having seen the details, and discovering some new favourite artists, it certainly expanded my horizons.

The other great thing about the exhibit was that it flowed brilliantly. For once I was left foundering, wondering where on earth to turn next in order to see everything, i was led the whole way. Love it, Pataka.

Also on - photos by John Whincup in a show called 'Walk on Water - Kiribati in crisis?' Check it out - the photos are amazing and I LOVED the frames (noticing the important things, as aways!)

random randomness

A few random thoughts today (sorry no pics still - i'm working on it)

Is it just me or is the traffic in wellington, especially from the city to the southern suburbs (miramar, kilbirnie) and from those burbs to the bypass, getting craaaaaaaaaaaazy? Every evening, tim picks me up and we go home together, and inevitably get stuck in traffic. Each day it seems to be backed up further...so i suggested to tim he write a letter to Annette King, Minister of Transport, to have a whinge. Which begged the question: What is the root of the problem? I thought he'd say, well, obviously it's the Mt Vic tunnel being only one lane each way. But the 'round the bays' traffic is just as bad, if not worse. So he surprised me by saying, 'look at all those f***ers in the cars by themselves. It's all these people driving with only one person in the car.' And that's totally it. But what can be done, besides enforcing carless days that can combat the problem? Subsidising public transport is one idea, but would Welly's bus system cope? I'd dare say not. The bus drivers at least would become more insuffereable than they already are.

What piqued my curiosity today was, whilst stuck in said traffic, the girls in the hi viz vests giving out pamphets and talking to the motorists stuck in the traffic coming out of the mt vic tunnel going into the bypass. What were they talking to them about? Maybe the boy and i should set up a car pooling thingy and use the same approach - talk to drivers while they're stuck in traffic. Cos i'm not over committed already.


My other thing at the moment is contemplating the use of someone else's work as your own 'art'. A local artist has an exhibition coming up or is currently on (not too sure) and she has photographed the work of local taggers and graffiti artists and is having an exhibition of it. Well, sure she wants to give away copies of the images to any of those responsible that come forward, but is it really her right to use the images for her own gain in the first place?

I must admit here that some of the images the boy and i use for cards are of graffiti. My decision in our case was a) the work is all australian (the photos were all taken when in Melbourne) and b) the images rely substantially on our own ability to compose a photograph to give it value. I decided about this time last year that while both the boy and I have taken images of graffiti around town, I would never use them for our own gain. Unless somehow we got in contact with the artist and had explicit permission to do so. That effort would be a bit beyond me.

Having said that, no, i haven't seen the photographs. Maybe i should. And i actually own one of the artist's works. ironic.

After that ranting, i suppose i should mention what craftiness is going down. Mainly bag making, so nothing much exciting really. I am totally in love with my wee haven that is my new sewing room - it is bliss to have my little hidey room where i can be in my own little world. the boy isn't used to it - the other night he came in with a 'oh, so that's where you are' - he'd been looking for me and couldn't figure out where on earth i had gone. brilliant.

art art art art art

woohoo! am all hyped up on two glasses of lindauer and the excitement that is new art...i've just got back from the $100 art sale, and cos i'm such a geek, i want everyone to know what i got already. I was second in line so missed the art work that i really, really wanted - number 19, by 'Fluke' named 'Untitled 72'. But i got my number two work - 'Wee angel' by Dra Mackay - who it so happens i worked with on the film festival in 2005 when i was doing events stuff at Te Papa. It's so nice when you find out things like that - not only did i get what i loved, but it has a story already. it's beautifully grainy and slightly out of focus. It makes me think that angel is doing something it shouldn't. And at the same time it is nice and calm and reflective, especially when i think that it is most likely watching over a grave. Whose grave, i wonder?

Of course tim had to buy something too, as he is just as much the art geek as i am - so he bought a Rapson. It looks like a melting boat. I love it. So we now have our first sculpture and our first art photograph. Not that we should have bought them of course. But i think that makes it all the more exciting. They are guaranteed to give us visual pleasure for so, so long. 

and i managed to take a better photo of our tree. Yay!

christmas tree, oh christmas tree!

The flowers outside my window...

I got home very grumpy last night from a very long day at work to see when i walked in the door - a christmas tree! a real, pretty smelling tree. So we had a good old time decorating it, and i've just looked at the photos i took of it and they're kinda shit. Maybe i'll post it anyway. hmmm so far have had a fabulous day off - dropping off a card order, going out to see the wonderful Martha and her hubby at Wanda Harland (oh i could spend so much money there!) to see if they wanted some cards - and they do! ok, i put it up. But i did warn you that it's a bit crap.

Woohoo! Then i got a bit spendy at the kathmandu sale...we need it all, really. 

Then i went to scope out the preview for the $100 art sale tonight. I'm very, very tempted to buy two works. With these new orders i probabl

y could manage it - it i conveniently forget the fact i need new shoes and work clothes. Pah, who

 needs practical stuff! When i can buy art?! And i do have the khandallah fair on sunday to make up for it. To which you should come, btw. I'm a bit bummed we chose to go in the carpark (cheaper stall) but i'm hoping being a little off the beaten track won't matter too much. 

and i really best get on with some cutting out - tre

es for more christmas cards and fabric circles to make yoyos with so that i can finally get some handmade presents finished.

Tim and my youngest brother last weekend...what is it about youngest children?

And this is our shiny new computer. I loves it. i'm just not very good at using it yet. I've lost all that i learnt on macs when i did first year design about 5 years ago. But i'll get there. :) And that's one of tim's photos as our desktop. Pretty.

woohoo photos!

they're a bit crap -which is what happens when you take them at about 9pm, i suppose!
Awesome present from the boy number 1: a dewey decimal catalog chest originally from Vic Uni in Wellington - where i studied. It is beeeeeeeeeautiful. all rimu...now i have a gazillion draws to stash my stuff in. woohoo!

Awesome birthday present from the boy number 2: my very own, mint condition Polaroid camera. It is insuch good condition, the tape around the strap hasn't even been taken off yet...i get the feeling i'm the first person to use it. I got some happy snaps at dinner last night that i will try and scan when we get the mac all set up.And finally, i have to do a morning tea shout for my birthday, and i've been so busy i haven't been able to do it yet. Tomorrow is the day - Tim helped with the decoration.

i'm actually just looking around and seeing all the other stuff i should take photos of and post about - like our purchases from the market on saturday, my christmas present works in progress...but they'll just have to wait. I'm taking friday off because i quite simply need a break - and hopefully i won't get all stressy, like i did in the weekend, about how i really should go in and catch up.

my grand plan for the day: some serious card making pre-khandallah fair, some $100 art sale stalking so i can decide in advance what i'm going to buy on the night, and hopefully some purging of stuff that is taking up too much space in our flat - bring on trademe! and bring on the weekend already - i can't believe i'll be waking up to wednesday tomorrow. Gees.

sanity withdrawal

It's Friday night and the house is quiet. Well, quiet except for the conversation i can hear the people upstairs having, which is odd cos normally they all seem to be socially incapable. Anyway.

My week has been mental. How many times have i said that lately? Fingers crossed it will start to calm down next week, despite the fact i will still be doing two jobs - only i will be starting a new second job of which the acting period is indefinite. I'm actually a bit daunted by it, as i will certainly be out of my comfort zone, but it just goes to show how much my boss knows i am capable of, and that is a fantastic feeling. Wow, that sentence was way too long.

A few bits and pieces from the past two weeks...

the Pablos art auction was fab. My declarations of no alcohol consumption were quickly forgotten with the free bubbles. woops. The boy was intent on spending my money but we walked away with nothing - gutted we missed out on fantastic works by Paul Bradley, Sam Broad and Misery. That's what happens when you're poor like us though!

My little (8 year old) bro had his annual fireworks-slash-halloween party last weekend. It consisted of many 8 and 9 year old boys running around getting overly excited (as they do) at the pyrotechnics. To the point that one yelled 'God bless America'. Apart from being freaking hilarious you've gotta wonder if they should have said 'God bless China'.

I love watching fireworks but can't stand to spend money on them - i figure i may as well light a $20 note on fire. But we watched the Wellington free fireworks display from the best spot ever - and they were mind blowing (and ear bursting). for once i thought they were better than Disneyland (or maybe i just need to go to Disneyland again). One of the boy's friends parked in a spot on Oriental Bay from 8am just so that his brother could park his work truck in its place later in the day. The boy was home late from work and when we got there, the two of them were sitting in this truck, with the curtain pulled aside, kitted out with sofas, radio and bbq. So we sat in cosy comfort, ate sausages and bread and got many an odd look (and attention from the police), some guy even took our photo. I think it was more hilarious for us watching peoples' reactions than for them looking at us. Haha i even had my knitting out for awhile while the light was good which was a great tool to convince the boys in blue that there was no alcohol on board. i mean, if something as wholesome as knitting is being done aboard, surely we won't be breaking any laws??

And as i said, the show was spectacular.

last night i got home lateish (dinner time) from work drinks (there's that no alcohol thing forgotten again) to find the boy had dinner all ready for me...it was the best thing. Even cooler though was the cat that snuck into the flat and wandered around for about half an hour. The boy was so stoked, and spent quite a lot of time down on the floor.

and now i'm going to relax and finally finish reading Love in the Time of Cholera. mmmmmm bliss.

oops amidst the madness

have i really not posted in that long? That is quite appalling, but i have fantastic excuses - the world has gone mad. Well, almost. Am currently doing the work of three people at what has turned out to be a very busy couple of weeks at work, and it doesn't look like it will let up soon.

And the Aro Street Market is on again this week, so of course my brain is desperately trying to fit in the logistics of that along with everything else. So last night, half drunk from work drinkies the boy and i had a card making mission and got done about as many as we think we'll need, which was a bit painful seeing as all i really wanted to do was relax.
The other problem with it is that i have two sewing table options at home: too high or too low. So i go for too low, and end up all hunched over at this mini table. But at least i can see.

Anyway, the madness continues - off to the ROAR art auction tonight which should be a fun-ho time.

too much for one day...

I had the most absurd day. It was so full on at work (for once) and then i came home to more work - helping the boy label and price his cameras for the weeekend. Only just finished so just a couple random pics. Above a work by Paul Bradley, and below, my hand putting the finishing coats on my snowboard (which did have an ugly boy design on it).