Art Statements

I received an invitation to this new exhibition - Ilios, at High Street Project in Christchurch - but I've set it to one side and can't remember who has created the show. I did however, have fun following the poster all over the city on the weekend. I love the way it has 'taken up residence' with other signs and posters to create a visual expression in its own right.

Directing Weeds

"Directing Weeds." Lichfield Street Car Park. August 2008. Ajr

I’m beginning to feel a little deviant as I find myself prowling about in dark city car park buildings with my camera – all in the name of art and blogging. And today it paid off because I found another stunning light-box work by Auckland photographic artist, Dieneke Jansen. Her series, “Directing Weeds” is part of the High Street Project Offsite Programme and you’ll find works in a number of city car park buildings. I listed one here last week, entitled 'Where the Grass IS greener." The lushness of the grass is made all the more vibrant and eye-catching by the gloomy confines of the car park buildings.

Where The Grass IS Greener!

Dieneke Jansen Directing Weeds, Art Gallery Car Park, Christchurch. 2008. Ajr

Auckland photographic artist, Dieneke Jansen has installed these fabulous lightboxes in inner city carparks around Christchurch. Directing Weeds is another work in the High Street Project Offsite programme. I’m very taken with the juxtaposition of lush green grass against the austerity of the brutal concrete car park architecture. In fact, I’m very taken full-stop with Jansen’s photographic preoccupation with lawns and grass, which you can see by clicking on the following link.

Billboard Art

Tuam Street Christchurch. August 2008. Ajr

I’ve been driving past Stacey Turner’s painting on an unused Tuam Street billboard for weeks. Yesterday I finally stopped to photograph it. Installed as part of the High Street Project Offsite programme, it’s an adaptation of Turner’s previous works that have featured thick white brush strokes delicately outlined with black pen. Translating that laborious technique to billboard size was clearly going to take forever, so he got clever. There’s something quite mesmerising about the work. It looks almost woven, like a piece of frayed fabric; but what I loved best, was standing there photographing people as they walked past it – their reactions to it were mixed to say the least. And I DO regret not being quick enough with my camera to snap the guy who posed for me, jumping in the air in front of it. There’s a clown in every crowd.

Can-Do Attitude

'She had an uncanny feeling she was repeating herself." Margaret Dawson at High Street Project, Christchurch.

Who knew the humble old tin can could look so good? In the hands of renowned Christchurch artist/photographer, Margaret Dawson, over 1,000 stripped-back cans have taken on a new life in Christchurch’s High Street Project. There’s something tranquil and serene about “She had an uncanny feeling she was repeating herself.” It’s like a silvery forest of bamboo – delicate, ethereal, willowy and filled with surprises……photographic and light surprises placed in the bottom of intermittent towers; and then, the biggest surprise of all, the sudden, attention-getting chaos of rattling, shaking, mobile cans being hurled around a re-jigged washing machine. Triggered by a movement sensor, the hurly-burly of sound and the almost robotic nature of the adapted washing machine is enough to have you tip-toeing around the gallery, always slightly on edge, never quite knowing what’s coming next. Margaret packs up this show on Saturday August 9 and heads south for its installation at Blue Oyster Gallery in Dunedin, where it will take on a whole new life. Just to keep things interesting, she’s given herself the exciting challenge of installing this same exhibition in a horizontal format.