Sale of the Century

I've lost count of the number of times I've seen an exhibition at a public gallery and developed a burning desire to have one, some or even all of the works on exhibit. Apart from a curious 'emerging artist showcase' in the foyer of City's last Prospect, following up tends to be a bit laborious, with the delay in being able to get to the right dealer usually dowsing any sense of urgency to acquire work that the show may have created.

In most cases even the book of the exhibition is still months off, and a postcard just doesn't seem to cut it. The ability to walk out with more than a mental picture or stolen out-of-focus camera-phone shot is limited to the programme or invitation, and even then I've noted a worrying trend away from images.

Not so with one of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery's current exhibitions. Ever the innovators, the GBAG has DVD copies of Mieke Gerritzen's A Beautiful World on sale at the front counter for the low low price of $25.00. Join the Friends of the Gallery while you're there, and it's even cheaper.

Who said contemporary art was exclusive.

Thinly veiled excuse

Puddle Finishing School, Part IV Church Protocol from Momentum Studios on Vimeo.

One of the many 'projects' that have conspired to keep me from the blog of late, this year's 48Hours effort has made it to the Interweb. As you'll see, a slightly greater role this year than last, when I just lined up the location. A fun way to spend a weekend, good excuse to drink way too much V and hang out in a stunning old church, and fantastic to work with people who actually knew what they were doing. And we even made the regional finals.

Benefit of doubt

This billboard has recently appeared on the New Plymouth Fire Station, part of their nationwide campaign to cut back on the number of cooking-related fires. I'm at odds as to whether it's a shocking indictment on the state of spelling and grammar in current-day New Zealand or quite brilliant advertising creativity.

Of all the billboards and signs in and around town at the moment (and as anyone who has driven into New Plymouth from the airport recently can attest, there a an awful lot of them), it's the only one that anyone can remember, and certainly the only one that I've had cause to discuss with more than a few people (even if most of those discussions start for the wrong reasons).

I'm keen to run the 'thing of brilliance' line, as I'd imagine the Fire Service has a fairly limited advertising budget, and redoing signs is an expense they don't need.

Will be interesting to see if it gets amended any time soon.

Photos out of aircraft windows 5

Lego does Wright!

In what might just be the coolest news of the year so far the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation have licensed Lego to recreate classic Wright buildings, namely the Guggenheim and Fallingwater in those loveable bumpy little plastic blocks.

I have a horrible suspicion though that they'll go the way of a lot of recent Lego products and pre-create more parts than they challenge kids to make out of square blocks. I mean little Lego drinking cups? Honestly. The initial packaging pics look like there are plenty of imagination fostering blocks though. Here's hoping.

Interestingly, the Architecture series ups Lego's standard age rating of 7+ to 10+. Maybe the extra 3 years fosters a level of appreciation of the medium that means these sets won't be bastardised and turned into multicolour random houses, or the ends chewed when bricks are stuck too tightly together.

According to the press release: Builders of all ages can now collect and construct their favorite worldwide architectural sites through these artistic replicas.

Well, maybe not all ages. Either way Jasper's going to have a long wait before he gets to enjoy his Christmas present this year.

Having children: proving crap for collecting art, but a brilliant excuse to buy cool toys.

Via Notcot

On fire

In the spirit of NZ Music month, I present the inimitable Head Like A Hole.

Shot in downtown Wellington on a sunny morning back in the day, by a band whose bassist I used to play bike tag in deserted carpark buildings with, shot atop a building across the road from a school I spent years trying to get into, and would later live around the corner from.

A whole new take on Springsteen while beautifully mocking both U2's then recent LA rooftop video and a record industry intent on handing them a bunch of cash to make a music video.

Rock and roll? Quite.

Auckland

The return of Dorothy Vallens

Like most small town boys, I grew up totally enamored with David Lynch's brilliantly surreal film Blue Velvet. On my daily walks across a field to school I could almost have been Jeffrey Beaumont. I never did find that severed ear, though not for lack of trying.

I must also thank Isabella Rossellini for introducing me to the alluring notion of the femme fatale through her creepily cool character of Dorothy Vallens.

I've just discovered Rossellini revisiting that shimmering role as a praying mantis, amongst others, in a fantastic series on the mating and other rituals of insects: Green Porno which I had to share. Running on the Sundance Channel, it fuses Lynchian theatrics with scientific accuracy using education as the excuse. So brilliant it's almost worth getting Sky for.

And to come back full circle, there's a scene early on in Blue Velvet where a pristine small town lawn is put under the microscope, revealing a grotesque world crawling with insects. Nice.

Hat tip: Cakehead Loves Evil