Carrying the Load

Alicia Frankovich at Artspace, Friday night where the top secret performance took place.

We like her intense shin pads.

- Agnes

PILOT

OH jeeeezus it's Pilot time again. This year, we are the participants, putting on seven shows from now until early August. Group one are kicking things off this week so come along, have a drink, a yarn and look at some art.

dot.dot.dot
St Paul Street Gallery 3
Opening Wednesday 20 May, 5.00-6.30

Do it. Do it like a Nike ad.

- Agnes

Wellin' Town

hot jiggedy-dawg

Unintentional jenga at Simon Morris' studio

Colour Chunk at Massey

John Ward Knox's gains on losses at Enjoy

5/8ths of Da Crew + bucket fountain


One day in Wellington isn't nearly enough time to experience all of its joy. But it is most definately enough to convert me to it's awesomeness. After waking up at an ungodly hour to catch our flight, we managed to procure enough energy to last us through a busy day, starting in Lyall Bay with Simon Morris' studio.

Morris has now officially become a legend here at AUT due to, not only his generous hospitality and admirable skills of the painting kind, but his beachside studio with views that look like Isaac Julien films. We gawked at some recent paintings, as well as the large rolls of expensive linen that he has at his expense, and indulged in absorbing his brain as much as possible. He was even kind enough to give some of us a ride into town, as well as showing us around the Massey studios.

After Andy's 'scenic' (read: took the wrong turn and ended up going on massive detour) route to Cuba Street we then visited Enjoy where John Ward Knox was having a show and Siv talked to us about the highs and lows of artist run spaces. Claudia then tried re-enacting Ward Knox's performance piece, only to realise that she has a very similar arm-span to the artist. Things like this are always good to know.

The group then disbanded with some of us paying Peter McLeavy a visit. We had been told that he too is a living legend and he lived up to the hype by showing us a Toole painting and then launching into an impromptu reading. Being read to by Mcleavy is like being put to bed by your Mum with a hottie and a glass of milk, too precious. Needless to say, he's a real darling and we heart him (and his typewriter) very much.

We then met up for a coffee with Heather Galbraith from City Galleries who was lovely enough to reveal to us the final selection of works that she curated for the Venice Biennale and talk so vividly about her journey to curatorship.


Fails:

- Getting harassed by a man in a loin cloth (a very small loin cloth) who we later learned is refered to as 'blanket man'. Thank you.

- The guy with the mirror blanket (what's with all the blanket allusions?) who blinded us and oncoming traffic. Thank you very much.

- Trying to check in at Air New Zealand when we were really flying Pacific Blue. That, I admit, was my fault.



Thanks to everyone we met and who showed us a good time. We are in debt.

- Agnes

Uniform

Photo: Spike Jonze's blog (it has info and pics about the upcoming Where the Wild Things Are movie oooooo!)

Stumbled across this site called Uniform 2008 where three artists are participating in a social experiment where they wear the same custom designed clothes for six months...

Here they log their intentions and monthly diaries. So far, two months in, and no one is commenting on the consistency of their clothing choices. I wonder what that says about people? Whether we're not very observant or just too polite? Or maybe, six months later, we'll realise it's not even a big deal.

- Agnes

p.s. Watch out for our sneaky selves in Wellington tomorrow. We could only spare a day trip but have many a place to go and see. Thank you to those who helped/offered us things to do. Will update you on our adventures...

WJ

WJ block has long been the home of spatial design here at the AU of T, until we heard rumours that it was going to be bulldozed and rebuilt into new awesomeness (horridness? How bout that rennovated design block? Sterile much?). That was last year, and those rumours still haven't come true yet...

Which is O.K because Chris Fitzgerald has decided to turn a part of it into a temporary space for art and kicked things off on Friday with a show. Above are evidence of such.

The space really got me thinking...there's something really interesting about where WJ sits at the moment. Its fate hanging off of the decisions of people who perhaps don't even inhabit it. WJ is positioned between functions, intended or not. Whether it is anticipating something bigger and better, a moving on with times, or mourning the imminent death of what it used to be...where is its glory to be found now?

I bet all the other buildings are taking note. After all, WJ could very well just be an architectural foreshadowing of their own futures...

- Agnes

Ballin' with Ballen

Snaps from the Roger Ballen opening, St Paul Street. We be the clumsy ones spilling wine behind the bar. Oops.

Come see the show if you're game for drooling inbred-like twinnigans and skin crawly, exorcist children. You know, your everyday haps.

- Agnes

Feature Friday: Dress Ups

Amber is doing some works involving performance and costumes made from old blankets. She has just finished Claudia's costume, a spongebob/underwater diving suit contraption. We've been told it's not exactly breathable...but it's bloody cute yes?

Amber has also made me a costume from a fluorescent pink sleeping bag. Enough said.

- Agnes