Hodge Podge*

The school holidays and tax returns have snuck up on me to yet again its a time of barely keeping my head above water and sadly still contemplating my lack of a compost bin (while the wood to build it languishes in the tardis garage).

My attempt to lighten things by reading fiction went totally awry, although I am enjoying “The Witch of Portobello” to some degree. The library requested Waimarino County back for their Montana Book award display so I couldn’t slowly go over that again and I don’t have the heart to more than briefly open two poetry books** that unexpectedly arrived, after hearing the author’s comments on his poetry. I will have to force myself though as they are due back soon. Libraries are fantastic but sometimes owning a book is required so I keep putting my gold coins in the piggy bank and forgo coffee for a while - I’ve actually started drinking tea!. I have also been offered the Dean Buchanan book “Wild Beast” at a knock-down price so am mulling over that as my next prospective purchase.

Things do improve as the days lengthen and I was pleased to see the extensive web resources related to the Rita Angus exhibition at Te Papa. Its all good for shut-ins like me and I think Te Papa has really picked up their game on the internet front, although I suspect they have a backlog of work to get through. And a tip - you can download the audio resources for the exhibition and take them on your own ipod (or the like) and save yourself $5.

Art writing is taking some interesting turns and I am curious as to why Tom Cardy has been doing the visual arts writing for the DomPost in the last few weeks (interesting look at Fiona Halls “Force Field” today), Jill Trevelyan writes about Picasso’s collection in the Listener and on a more literary note anyone interested in the Bloomsbury group (that would be me) would do well to read Diana Witchel’s excellent article on her tour. On this subject though, I can’t go past the movie Carrington with Emma Thompson in the title role and Jonathon Pryce doing a wonderful Lytton Strachey.

(Giles) Lytton Strachey (1880-1932), by Dora Carrington, 1916.

*common English for Hotch-Potch, a mixture; mutton soup thick with pieces of meat and all sorts of vegetables, also Hot-Pot
**”Houses, days, skies” and “Streets of Music” by Martin Edmond

Two in the bush

Today in a fit of nostalgia I have been thinking about Blue Ducks (or Whio) and a small part of my life spent following them (and their trackers) around mountain rivers.

Birds seem to feature largely in NZ art, or is that just me…? Of course Dr Buller was one of the first documentors and I grew up with his book of birds, although J. G. Keulemans was the illustrator. There was even a play “Dr Buller’s Birds“. Its a pity Buller collected skins but I guess it means we do have “examples” of extinct species.

Blue Duck and Scaup from Birds of New Zealand, 1888. (Buller)

More contemporaily, I can think of Raymond Ching, Don Binney and Bill Hammond who have used birds rather centrally to their work. What does it all mean?

Whio and the Dance of Extinction -Ray Ching

I found this well reported ‘fact’ about Hammond “As a result of this trip to The Auckland Islands and his interest in macabre aspects of the taxidermist’s trade as evidenced in the book “Buller’s Birds of New Zealand”, Hammond began producing his haunting world of half-human, half-bird creatures. And it is this original parallel world that has captured the imagination of so many New Zealanders’“

However more interesting is a discussion of the significance of the birds here with reference to Binney and Buller.

“With his bird paintings Hammond has stepped into the spotlight in New Zealand art, tapping into the national psyche’s obsession with native birds…colonial history, and Kiwiana. Buller was not the only precedent. The regional modernist Don Binney achieved prominence and popularity in the 60’s and 70’s depicting birds soaring over landscapes, symbolising triumphal national identity as much as individual spiritual transcendence. The kiwi itself, a flightless, nocturnal, clumsy, unattractive, and increasingly-endangered bird, is a decidedly-peculiar choice of national icon, and Hammond’s stiff, upright, Egyptian-looking humanoid birds, always in profile, theoretically capable of flight but never flying, allude to that indirectly. ” (my emphasis)

Watching for Buller- Bill Hammond

So are we “kiwis” doomed to be earth-bound, only dreaming of flight?

Decorative Art - in transition

I was numbing my mind further last night watching ‘Project Runway’ and was intersted in the challenge the designers had to create an outfit inspired by art at the Met. I was pretty impressed by what the winner came up with but the art they were able to choose from made me think about fine art as decoration when it was originally produced.

I know art had illustrative value and as a simple record of people and events but they were often (mainly?) to make the walls look nice as well. As we now have photography, video, Tv, film to record etc etc, fine art has become more conceptual but decorative “that will look nice above my couch” art is still churned out. How will what is now decorative art (posing as “real” art or not) - be viewed in the future. For example already things such as William Morris wallpaper are seen as art.

I guess it comes back to definitions of art and intent. Things that are simply “iconic” (shudder) seem to be morphing into art as well. And yes this is by an artist - but is it art? really? (and yes I do know the answer to that)

HQ Holden Jeff Thompson

Art Collecting in a Crisis

Or “Art Collecting for the Poor”

I know pretty much nothing about private art collecting, but today I was thinking about how (so far) the art world village seems largely unaffected by “the recession”. I can only put this down to it not really biting yet. However I have put together some tips for private collectors in a future environmental/energy/economic crisis.

Power. Don’t buy anything that requires power. Or maybe look for works that are solar powered. Alternatively, for those so inclined, I am told a small nuclear reactor is cheap and environmentally friendly. Consider if existing works will still stand if they are in off mode - the artist may even consider this to be part of the concept? Works such as Martin Creed’s Work No 227: The Lights going on and off may be better kept in purely “idea” form or renamed “The Lights going off and on“. In fact Creed’s new Work No 850 may just be more sustainable all round. Video works could be stored, although you maybe you can get the pretty shiny DVDs out and play with their reflections in the candle light.

Assemblage seems to be a good bet - especially if environmentally friendly recycled pieces. I would avoid anything that looks like it could be used as firewood though, it may just become too tempting.

Painting. Oils in particular may also be tempting to throw on the fire - especially if the artist has taken Gopas’ advice and mixed a lot of turps in with the paint so it burns easier. Portraits may win out here, as most people are loathe to do anything to their own self image (see Dorian Gray). Artists may need to consider if their canvases and paints are sourced from sweat shop sources. I am told hessian (ripped from the walls of old villas) works as a canvas and grinding and mixing your own pigments has certain sensuous qualities. Larger canvases could also be reused as curtains.

In the end craft/decorative arts seem more practical. Vessels could have all sorts of daily uses and handmade items such as Ani O’Neill crocheted works could be joined up to make clothes or blankets.

OK - this may not even be remotely funny. No offense to any artists or collectors intended!