The Artlink aka the 'pretty bus' (as coined by a passenger who looked about four yeras old), designed by Sara Hughes
Simon getting off after a long shift
The Peace Marchers, yet another surprise we did not know about
Last year, I had expressed once that if all this art stuff didn't really pan out for me, I would go and be a bus driver instead. I imagined I would be one of those super-awesome-cool bus drivers that people actually liked, you know, the ones that people did the thumbs up to when they drove past and was always friendly and asked how your day was. I thought it would be a good way of meeting all sorts of people, and getting to know their stories. And I do like to drive.
With this in mind, I had my dreams realised when I was asked to help out with the Artlink, a bus that takes people to galleries around the CBD for the Auckland Festival. This was my chance to get a feel for the bus in a way which was not that of a passenger. I didn't get to drive the Artlink, but that's really only a minor hiccup in my testing theory...plus the fact that we got to utilise these sweet walkie talkies made up for that.
Thus our day began. And with a giant crane blocking the front of Sue Crockford, we had to relocate to another departing point. Nothing that a seasoned driver would have difficulty dealing with of course. Go with the flow etc.
Then came the peace marchers, causing blockage. Yet another day on Queen Street for a Bussie, right?
But finally, the conversing with people. A man from Tauraunga, a music graduate from Kaitaia...story upon story of why people were where they were, what they thought of the exhibitions etc. Interesting people, all of whom, obviously, were active pursuers of art discussion.
Karena's 'Orchestra'
In between shifts on the bus, I was able to catch the beginning performance/artist's talk/workshop by Karena Way. She talked about being drawn to specific sounds and the ways in which she collects and manipulates it. Highlights were learning about electromagnetic pencils, where the graphite is used to conduct and produce frequency sounds depending on where you completed the connection. It's like playing the keyboard on a piece of paper! So, so clever! Why are you not already in my life?
I also got talking with the actual driver of the Artlink, who had a very positive outlook on his job. He seemed very easy going, parting wise words of wisdom about how to deal with the naughties and bad days on the road.
But by the end of the day, I was slightly dehydrated and starting to rethink the possibilities of enjoying being employed by MAXX...
In hindsight, my fantasy of bus driving was slightly naïve. Obviously I had not thought about the hours of traffic (queue the Queen Street Marchers) and the regular angries who like to think bus drivers and parking wardens are on a similar low-life level. But it wasn't until after spending 6 hours riding the ARTlink over and over again, that I realised, it wasn't so much those reasons, as it was the absolute repetitiveness of the job. In the 25 degree heat. Although I did have fun talking to people, it really wasn't as glamorous as I thought it would be. And in reality, there's no way I would be a cool bus driver, because I would be more inclined to being the kind that gets pleasure from soaking pedestrians by driving through puddles and throwing change angrily at passengers who give me $20 notes. Kudos to bus drivers though, you guys rock.
In the meantime, I'll devise another Plan B of 'Jobs I could do if art doesn't work out for me'. Any suggestions??
- Agnes
Last year, I had expressed once that if all this art stuff didn't really pan out for me, I would go and be a bus driver instead. I imagined I would be one of those super-awesome-cool bus drivers that people actually liked, you know, the ones that people did the thumbs up to when they drove past and was always friendly and asked how your day was. I thought it would be a good way of meeting all sorts of people, and getting to know their stories. And I do like to drive.
With this in mind, I had my dreams realised when I was asked to help out with the Artlink, a bus that takes people to galleries around the CBD for the Auckland Festival. This was my chance to get a feel for the bus in a way which was not that of a passenger. I didn't get to drive the Artlink, but that's really only a minor hiccup in my testing theory...plus the fact that we got to utilise these sweet walkie talkies made up for that.
Thus our day began. And with a giant crane blocking the front of Sue Crockford, we had to relocate to another departing point. Nothing that a seasoned driver would have difficulty dealing with of course. Go with the flow etc.
Then came the peace marchers, causing blockage. Yet another day on Queen Street for a Bussie, right?
But finally, the conversing with people. A man from Tauraunga, a music graduate from Kaitaia...story upon story of why people were where they were, what they thought of the exhibitions etc. Interesting people, all of whom, obviously, were active pursuers of art discussion.
Karena's 'Orchestra'
In between shifts on the bus, I was able to catch the beginning performance/artist's talk/workshop by Karena Way. She talked about being drawn to specific sounds and the ways in which she collects and manipulates it. Highlights were learning about electromagnetic pencils, where the graphite is used to conduct and produce frequency sounds depending on where you completed the connection. It's like playing the keyboard on a piece of paper! So, so clever! Why are you not already in my life?
I also got talking with the actual driver of the Artlink, who had a very positive outlook on his job. He seemed very easy going, parting wise words of wisdom about how to deal with the naughties and bad days on the road.
But by the end of the day, I was slightly dehydrated and starting to rethink the possibilities of enjoying being employed by MAXX...
In hindsight, my fantasy of bus driving was slightly naïve. Obviously I had not thought about the hours of traffic (queue the Queen Street Marchers) and the regular angries who like to think bus drivers and parking wardens are on a similar low-life level. But it wasn't until after spending 6 hours riding the ARTlink over and over again, that I realised, it wasn't so much those reasons, as it was the absolute repetitiveness of the job. In the 25 degree heat. Although I did have fun talking to people, it really wasn't as glamorous as I thought it would be. And in reality, there's no way I would be a cool bus driver, because I would be more inclined to being the kind that gets pleasure from soaking pedestrians by driving through puddles and throwing change angrily at passengers who give me $20 notes. Kudos to bus drivers though, you guys rock.
In the meantime, I'll devise another Plan B of 'Jobs I could do if art doesn't work out for me'. Any suggestions??
- Agnes
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