It’s all write here

I’ve been writing.

Full text of my essay in Barry Brickell: Six Spiromorphs can be read here

and

My review of Martin Edmond’s “Zone of there Marvellous” here. Martin’s latest book is a limited edition of 50 and it sounds like larger works and interesting projects are on the way.

I am working on a new catalogue essay for a show coming up at Brett McDowell Gallery in Dunedin. This will also be published by Kilmog Press. Details to come.

Also Kilmog is the subject of  in this week’s Cultural Curmudgeon column in the Listener (preview: full text available in a couple of weeks).

Am I sounding like an advertisement? Oh well. Here is some Dunedin street art not advertising anything.

Frida Kahlo likes your status

3 people have commented to me in the last week that I have neglected this blog. I can’t believe I used to blog every day. But blogging is so 2008. Which means, that among other things, I have fallen victim to twitter and Facebook.

These newish modes of communication have led to all sorts of interesting things. As with the blog, I have connected me with some amazing people, and it’s company for a shut-in like me. I have also ‘crowd sourced’ all sorts of information such as possible reasons for the kindy rabbit dying while in my care (the stuff nightmares are made of) and an almost instant translation for this quote from Virgil’s Georgics ’Et secura quies et nescia fallere vita’. Today after I made a post on Facebook about people being eaten by dragons (don’t ask), I got the notification ”Frida Kahlo likes your status”. WIN! if a very weird ‘art and my life’ WIN. But it may explain why it’s all a bit addictive.

The school holidays have also impacted my blogging. Thankfully we are back into full school and kindy mode this coming week. However, this also means sports and ballet are back and with it, the stressful Saturday morning juggle of children. This Saturday past though, art intersected with life as I managed to read some poetry and essays on a NZ artist I am researching while watching my 6-year-old play cricket. Very civilized, although it did earn me a few stares from the other sports parents.

So while I haven’t actually been blogging, I have been musing a lot and have heaps of things to write about. But it will have to wait until I’ve finished my current project and recovered from my birthday tomorrow. My research has been fun and today has led me from Elvis and Hildegard of Bingen, to Nick Cave and Julian of Norwich with a side helping of Barthes and Foucault. Never a dull moment around here. Hang in there – exciting things are coming….

Michael Smither painting – swiped from here. Help me identify it properly and I’ll list the details

The Rules

Today I took my three kids to the Settlers Museum. Before we went in, I had them recite our gallery/museum rules.  These are:

• No running
• No yelling
• No running off
• and apparently No licking

One of the old doors to the Settlers Museum (excuse blurry shot)

Hangin’ with art

So I had this idea that I would blog more this year…hahahaha. Still working at the kitchen table and about to sign up for another year in my little house, I remain deskless. But enough excuses.

In my survey of this house I was reminded about the picture hooks EVERYWHERE from the previous occupants. My question is what sort of art do you hang in your laundry, bathroom, loo? Maybe this for above the washing machine?

Clothesline in the Nor-Wester (1973) Philip Clairmont

As an aside , recently one of the kids was hit on the head by a large falling painting. Has anyone really been killed by art?