No Common Sense

Having hermited myself in my house for over a week now, flu-contagious and developing OOS symptoms from staring at laptop screen for hours on end, I thought perhaps it be best to treat myself to natural light by heading to the first of the Year Two exhibitions.

Those of you who remember, it was my year that were the first guinea pigs for this exhibition endeavour and although the work I scrambled to make for my own show last year was absolute crap, I learnt a lot about what not to do for Pilot this year, which means that the Year Two shows allow a greater learning experience for our professional practice paper which is good no??

The shows are also an easy way of acquainting myself with the practices of those in the year below us (like a taster course). And being the first to admit that I'm not familiar with most of these practices, a lot of what I saw came as a huge surprise.

This particular exhibition in Gallery Three called No Common Sense was exactly that, a showing of eleven disparate practices. But in remembering the purpose for these shows is to provide a space for the students to test out what they're doing in studio in a public space, plus the time that they are given to put the show together (a couple of weeks or so), I don't blame them for not aiming for cohesiveness. Nor do I think that it takes away from the quality of the work.

Please forgive me, this is less a review than a noting of observations as there were so many people around, sometimes I couldn't get close to specific works!

Favourites from this show

- The smaller cardboard projection screen structure (4th photo down). Interesting install technique of letting the viewer decide how much information they get through the choice of either full view (front) or partial view (back). This worked well in this small one, not so much in the larger one though.

- Crazy crystalline rock structure things covered in fabric, a surprise from a promising painting student.

- And although I think these were hung a little too high, the Mt Wellington Quarry photos (biased opinion as I used to live close to the area and am therefore very attached to it). Lainy and I were remarking on how terrifying the acidity of the colour green was. Absolutely toxic.

This show is on for one day only!! That day is tomorrow. So have a looksie if you be in the neighbourhood. Also, there are two more shows opening on Thursday, one at Gallery Three 5pm and the other at Cross Street Studios at 6pm.

Am signing off to write more theory. Brain is consistency of mush. Until the next time I feel like procrastinating? Yeah it's a date.

- Agnes

Two Words

I'm Sorry.


For not blogging

On a regular basis.

But will instead

Present you with

Sporadic updates in

Between

Theory Essay Writing.


Such as the short lived life of a pink wall...am in mourning for pink wall.

But at least they were looking white and spiffy for the Year Two shows. Which I attended today. Details in next post.

- Agnes

Opening Night

Photos from opening night of One Hand Clap/Four Walls

Am currently gallery minding and listening to Ahi's Lady GaGa album for the 50th time this week. Sanity is close to being destroyed.

Aside from that opening night went off without a hitch, to the point where we had to shoo people out by the end of the night. Lots of laughs and people bumping into art, with my own Dad destroying my television install in one fell swoop!

The show really only came together in the three days before opening, where a new concept was proposed to the group in order to make use of the changed gallery space. Instead of fighting the two spaces in one, we decided to do one show under the facade of two, hence the second poster that came pretty late in the game.

I also noted that the walls were very object like, so we painted one of them a pastel pink (a colour that seems to come up in all our practices) rendering it even more so and also like a middle no mans land between the two galleries. From there, we installed with the idea that one space was dealer-like, and the other more artist run. The two shows would inform each other and ideally, come together to be seen as a whole. We also opened up two different entrances and had two different drink/food tables on the night to suit each space (thanks to Andy who discretely brought along cheezels for our 'casual gallery' table, they were enjoyed by many).

We had always wanted from the beginning to see how our works could be installed collaboratively to work with the space. Lots of decision making and politics, stepping around egos and what not. But we came out unscathed and with a new found respect for everyone in the group. I guess those wondering whether the pilot project actually works in developing skills for putting together a public exhibition (and trust me I was initially a doubter) can be rest assured, I learnt more about the finer details of assembling a show than I thought I ever could...

But mostly we just had a lot of fun with everything even though the situation was pressing (late nights, wall paint not drying enough, and Claudia with a bacterial throat infection and fever). It was important that we didn't let go of that side of our practices, that play and humour was still evident as a flipside to our more serious concerns. And as hellish as it became at some points, I would happily do it all again.

As for now, am still trying to catch up on sleep (failing miserably) and trying to pen the accompanying 'pilot essay' that needs to be handed in by monday (failing even more miserably).

Those of you with a weekend, come say hi. It is on till Saturday, 10am-5pm. Those of you who've already seen it, thanks for coming along!


- Agnes

Day 3

What we do instead of installing work.

We be openings tomorrows. gaaaa


- Agnes

Day 2

As you can see, day two has rolled by and there are approximately four tins of paint, three rollers, too many to count paint brushes, a cardboard box and a bike in the gallery amongst other things. Number of works installed so far: Zero.

Crap.

Tensions are running high, copious amounts of coffee is being consumed on a regular basis, people are starting to get desperate. Oh drama drama drama llama.

Crunch time anyone??

- Agnes

p.s. Do you like the spiffy poster?

Surprise

Four Walls

Pilot Project

Nick Berry
Lainy Fleming
Claudia Jowitt
Amber Claire Pearson
Ahilapalapa Rands
Agnes So

St Paul Street Gallery Three (Entrance Two)
39 Symonds Street

6-8 August

Opening 5 August @ 5pm

- Agnes

Day 1

So starts the three day marathon of install. We have been furiously juggling work (that of the part-time money making kind) and painting (that of the resene colour chart kind) in an effort to claim the space as ours.

The gallery is also very cold so we have been appreciating God's gift of heating devices.

Gallery Three is starting to grow on us. That is all for now.

- Agnes