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The prize for the most hyped art event must, of course go to the Masterpieces
from the Guggenheim show at the DPAG. Personally, that hype has been
the most fascinating aspect of the show, an absolute media spectacle/frenzy/sharkfest
which just does not let up. More interesting was the visit by Yuk King
Tan, she's been artist in residence at the Public Art Gallery, continuing
their good work in that area. I saw her do a great slide lecture, and
there should be a show up at the gallery soon. Also at art school was
a performance by the Tanaka Nixon Meeting (a.k.a. Danny Butt and Michel
Morley who face off over twin terminals). Digitally controlled piano
samples, American road-trip slides (minus the Sonic Youth members who
feature in the vid) fading into flowers at the end, and psychedelic video
projection all over the top. The Free Noise = Art Event equation continues...
The Honeymoon Suite artist-run space has been open for a few months, It came
from the the guggenheim ran for a week in mid April. Works on exhibition were
re-productions rented from the Dunedin Public Library's extensive collection
of framed art prints. The show included a Rothko Room, complete with dim lights,
pew, and plentiful supply of tissues, and what could well be the worlds smallest
Jackson Pollock (even smaller than the one in the Gugg.) Jesse Warren exploited
the gallery's extensive light sockets, in his show recent photography, encouraging
them to breed, doubling the points in the large room and turning the office into
a walk-in camera obscura. Very nice. Constallations of bulbs reflected in night-time
windows, glowing head-over-heels fuzzy in the dark, beautifully perfect simplicity.
Jeanne Bernhart's book Vorare Lacuna is out, with text by Jeanne and images by
a dozen local female artists, but I'm not going to harp on about the price (
like Pavement did.)
Wipeout, a new Micheal Morley show, just opened at The Honeymoon Suite. It features
some lovely "fuck u" poloroids, a seedy playstation lounge with remnants
of a game playing orgy and a great Metallica guitar-solo loop (among other things).
"Cowboy songs now filter down and through me as if i were possesssed by
some demon angel sent by lucifer to shake my body from it's earthly shell and
pay homage to drinking and dancing and fornication."
(just part of the M.M. wipeout statement)
exit light
enter night
take my hand
off to never never land
something's wrong, shut the light
heavy thoughts tonight
and they aren't of snow white
now I lay me down to sleep
pray the lord my soul to keep
if I die before I wake
pray the lord my soul to take
hush little baby, don't say a word
and never mind that noise you heard
it's just the beast under your bed,
in your closet, in your head
exit light
enter night
take my hand
we're off to never never land
Helen Chapel
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