Since reading Justin Paton’s excellent book ‘How to look at a painting’ I have been thinking of doing a sweep of the Wellington galleries as he did in Auckland. Geographically this is not quite so easy though and I am having a little trouble compiling a current list of galleries. With my uneducated eye, I also think an guide may be in order to appreciate it fully anyway. Perhaps a companion volume is in order “How to encounter an installation” or something?
I am thinking of going on down to the City Gallery tomorrow morning to see “Reboot: The Jim Barr and Mary Barr Collection” and maybe go over to the Theo Schoon thing at Te Papa. I do wonder if Reboot would be better if I had seen ‘Good Work’ in 2001 though. I know I have to see more art and more art that’s outside my comfort zone so I will go – just not sure if tomorrow will be the day.
This possible job has got me thinking about public art and local government involvement. I looked up the Wellington City Councils art policies as they have come in for a fair amount of criticism about their artworks. I found this interesting.
Artistic merit and quality: art works will and should be the subject of debate as to their artistic merits. Regard will be given to: public response and interaction; accessibility to the public; the degree to which it reflects Wellington’s heritage and/or contemporary culture; merits of the work; whether the work is enduring enough to justify the costs associated with its adoption.
Of course there is a committee to decide all this stuff. The Public Art Panel is comprised of (according to the website) Mark Amery, Alison Bartley, Tina Barton, Heather Galbraith, Rob Garrett and Karen Wallace. You know I am sort of with Hamish Keith on his hatred of committees (as espoused in “The Big Picture”). Last time I worked in the corporate world I refused to have more than one committee-type meeting a week as I felt they were a BIG waste of time. I feel the outcomes of these types of panels are also often watered down and meek. I have no idea if the above panel is like this – any comments? There is a nice gallery of Wellington public art. I quite like some of it.
Speaking of public art, I am intrigued by this exhibition ‘What We Walk By’ images of Wellington’s Inner City Street Art by Dra McKay.
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