its here...final post of the year....11th and 12th day of Christmas

Cheerio 2009

Well my dear readers, it's been a fabulous year for the Auckland Art Gallery but my favourite times have always involved conversations. laughter and discussion with you all (i know its a bit sickly but you know its the time of year for this type of thing) on the blog, twitter, facebook or obviously in the gallery itself.

Sometimes writing online can feel a bit of a solo affair, but hearing from all of you has made it feel more like a community, like there are people out there.

Thank you and have a fabulous summer break and see you all again in 2010 when we have lots of activites planned. Including the launch of our new website, the launch of the Lindauer Online Project. The 4th Auckland Triennial and the Walters Prize, and of course watching the new building project soar up into the sky as it progresses- its going to be a BIG year!

Without further ado here are the last two days of Christmas.....drum roll please .......

On the tweflth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
12 Drummers Drumming /
12 piupius swinging

(The only choice when reflecting on this year and a great loss to the art world.)
Julian Dashper, The Big Bang Theory, 1992,
Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki

...11 pipers piping /11 haka lessons

Arthur Northwood, Haka, a little practice makes perfect, 1911, gelatin silver print, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2002

Harold Collins, Piper with mermaids, watercolour, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mr W D Collins, 1979

Marti Friedlander, Farmers, South Island, 1970, 2000, gelatin silver prints, toned with gold, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Marti Friedlander, with assistance from the Elise Mourant Bequest, 2001


....10 lord-a-leaping

Jacques Callot, La ronde, 1621, etching, Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, bequest of Dr Walter Auburn, 1982

....9 ladies dancing

Josiah Martin, Dancing women, Nukunuku, Tonga, gelatin silver printAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1998

...8 maids a milking

Unknown, Krishna With Radha and the Milkmaids, circa 1750, tempera on paper, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1970


......7 eels a swimming

George French Angas, Implements & Domestic Economy, circa 1847, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2009

.......6 Geese a laying
Vera Temple, Canada Goose, 1939, colour lithograph, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mr Rex Nan Kivell, 1953


....5 goooooooooold rings

Unknown, Five Antique Intaglio Gems, etching, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1955


.......4 huhu grubs
Richard Killeen, Black crawlers, 1978, acrylic lacquer on aluminiumAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1981


....3 French hens
John Tarlton, Hitching home - mid-term break, 1989, cibachrome photograph,
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1989


....2 turtle doves


Percy Thomas, The Doves, etching, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mrs Ada Chapman Taylor, 1930

......and a pukeko in a ponga tree"
Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithographAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932

YAY!!! thanls for all the suggestions and votes
**Special mention to Kris, Paul, Mary, Ngahiraka, Julie and Cath for their contribution

ooh ooh nearly there...on the 10th Day of Christmas...

On the 10th day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
ten juicy fish / 10
lords a leaping

Jacques Callot, La ronde, 1621, etching, Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, bequest of Dr Walter Auburn, 1982

or... (for the fish)

A Lois white, Wild waves, circa 1943, oil on cardboard, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Margaret Thompson, 1992

or...

John Tunnard, Holiday, 1947, lithograph, Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki

or... (not leaping but definitely a Lord!)



Vyvyan Hunt, Lord Plunket, watercolour, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of mrs R M Vyvyan Perkins, 1969

....9 ladies dancing
Josiah Martin, Dancing women, Nukunuku, Tonga, gelatin silver printAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1998

...8 maids a milking
Unknown, Krishna With Radha and the Milkmaids, circa 1750, tempera on paper, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1970

......7 eels a swimming
George French Angas, Implements & Domestic Economy, circa 1847, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2009

.......6 Geese a laying
Vera Temple, Canada Goose, 1939, colour lithograph, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mr Rex Nan Kivell, 1953

....5 goooooooooold rings
Gavin Hipkins, The Ring, 2000, photographic paper/paper (fiber product)/Materials, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2004

.......4 huhu grubs
Richard Killeen, Black crawlers, 1978, acrylic lacquer on aluminiumAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1981

....3 French hens
John Tarlton, Hitching home - mid-term break, 1989, cibachrome photograph,Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1989

....2 turtle doves
Percy Thomas, The Doves, etching, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mrs Ada Chapman Taylor, 1930

......and a pukeko in a ponga tree"
Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithographAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932

Try saying those all in one breath!!! Tune in tomorrow for the final two days, yes, I'm not posting on Christmas day, i think my partner might give up on me if i did that.

On the 9th Day of Christmas

Hopefully you are not all bored of this yet, im impressed to have made it this far and still have a whole load of suggestions for each one from you all.
Here we go again........

on the 9th Day of Christmas
my true love gave to
me

9 sacks of pipis / 9 ladies dancing

Clare Leighton, Clam Diggers, Cape Cod, wood engraving,
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1947

Josiah Martin, Dancing women, Nukunuku, Tonga, gelatin silver print
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1998

or.....
Ans Westra, The Hikoi, Waitangi, 1984, 1984, gelatin silver print
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1997

Jean Horsley, Dancing figures, 1962, oil on canvas, Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, 1988 A Lois White, Pattern inspired by rain, circa 1941, oil on cardboard, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1992

...8 maids a milking
Unknown, Krishna With Radha and the Milkmaids, circa 1750, tempera on paper, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1970

......7 eels a swimming
George French Angas, Implements & Domestic Economy, circa 1847, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2009

.......6 Geese a laying
Vera Temple, Canada Goose, 1939, colour lithograph, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mr Rex Nan Kivell, 1953

....5 goooooooooold rings
Gavin Hipkins, The Ring, 2000, photographic paper/paper (fiber product)/Materials, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2004

.......4 huhu grubs
Richard Killeen, Black crawlers, 1978, acrylic lacquer on aluminiumAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1981

....3 French hens
John Tarlton, Hitching home - mid-term break, 1989, cibachrome photograph,Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1989

....2 turtle doves
Percy Thomas, The Doves, etching, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mrs Ada Chapman Taylor, 1930

......and a pukeko in a ponga tree"
Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithographAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932

If you are interested in more kiwi specific folk songs i found this site here which has a fascinating list of lots

On the 6th, 7th and 8th day of Christmas

It's the eights day of Christmas already! Apologies for not posting the 6th and 7th days over the weekend - i blame it on Christmas-itis.

Instead, I've added those days to the list today.

"On the 8th Day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
8 Maids-a-Milking / 8 plants of puha

Marti Friedlander, West Coast 1969, 2000, gelatin silver prints, toned with gold, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Marti Friedlander, with assistance from the Elise Mourant Bequest, 2001

...or
Colin McCahon, Anyone who lives on milk..., 1969,
charcoal on wallpaper stock, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, on loan from a Private Collection

...or
Duncan Grant, Persephone, colour lithograph, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Rex Nan Kivell, 1953

...or

Unknown, Krishna With Radha and the Milkmaids, circa 1750, tempera on paper, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1970

......7 eels a swimming / 7 Swans a-Swimming

George French Angas, Implements & Domestic Economy, circa 1847, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2009

Alexander Bannerman, Copy of Roman Wall Painting, etching and engraving, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1955

Enea Vico and Michaelangelo, Leda and the Swan, 1542, engraving, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mr G M Mitford, 1883

Jacques Perée, Piron, P Dien, Cigne noir du Cap de Diemen, 1791, engraving on paper, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1964


.......6 Geese a laying / 6 pois a twirling

A Lois White, Poi Dance, circa 1952, oil on hardboard, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1989

...or
Bruce Foster, Angie and Goose, 1977, Black and white photograph, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1978

..or
Vera Temple, Canada Goose, 1939, colour lithograph, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mr Rex Nan Kivell, 1953

....5 goooooooooold rings

Gavin Hipkins, The Ring, 2000, photographic paper/paper (fiber product)/Materials, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2004

.......4 huhu grubs
Richard Killeen, Black crawlers, 1978, acrylic lacquer on aluminiumAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1981

....3 French hens
John Tarlton, Hitching home - mid-term break, 1989, cibachrome photograph,Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1989

....2 turtle doves
Percy Thomas, The Doves, etching, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mrs Ada Chapman Taylor, 1930

......and a pukeko in a ponga tree"
Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithographAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932

Gasp!!!

On the fifth day of Christmas

On the fifth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me

5 gooooooooold rings / Five - big - fat - pigs !



Ani O'Neill, Crocheted Paintings from 'Cottage Industry' (1997), 1997, wool on steel rings, Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, 2002

...or

Unknown, Five Antique Intaglio Gems, etching, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1955


...or

Glenn Busch, Ronnie Lewis, Labourer, Pig Chain, Christchurch Abbatoir, 1982, Black and white photograph, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1983

or...

Gavin Hipkins, The Ring, 2000, photographic paper/paper (fiber product)/Materials,
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 2004

.......4 huhu grubs

Richard Killeen, Black crawlers, 1978, acrylic lacquer on aluminiumAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1981

....3 French hens

John Tarlton, Hitching home - mid-term break, 1989, cibachrome photograph,
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1989

....2 turtle doves

Percy Thomas, The Doves, etching, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mrs Ada Chapman Taylor, 1930



......and a pukeko in a ponga tree
Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithographAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932


Phew!!! - its all about geese and pois tomorrow, bring on the suggestions

On the fourth day of Christmas.......

It's the fourth day already and I'm REALLY impressed with the enthusiasm out there, id like to challenge some more of you who have commented but not suggested anything to think of nominations for artwork to represent the next 8 days, come on, think laterally, there are over 14,000 works to choose from, special mentions for the most tenuous links!


On the fourth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
Four huhu grubs / 4 Colly Birds
(often given as "Calling Birds")

here's what i have got from all of you out there:

Four huh grubs

(From Kris)
Richard Killeen, Black crawlers, 1978, acrylic lacquer on aluminium
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1981

Four Colly birds

(From Mary and Kris)

Ichiryusai Hiroshige, Bird on a branch, circa 1850 woodcut in black and grey
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki

or
(from Kath)
Shane Cotton, Southern Cross, 2002, 2002, acrylic on canvas
Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, 2003

.......3 French hens (winner from yesterday)
http://collection.aucklandartgallery.govt.nz/collection/results.do?view=detail&db=object&id=7203


.......2 turtle doves

Percy Thomas, The Doves, etching, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mrs Ada Chapman Taylor, 1930


.....and a pukeko in a ponga tree

Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithographAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932

On the 3rd Day of Christmas

On the third day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
Three flax kits / 3 French hens

the nominations are:

Three Flax kits:


Gottfried Lindauer, Maoris Plaiting Flax Baskets, 1903, oil on canvas
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mr H E Partridge, 1915


Three french hens (the most nominations so far - vote now either by emailing feedback@aucklandartgallery.govt.nz, or comment below)

Edwin Alexander, Old Age, watercolour
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki


William Hemsley, Feeding the Chicks, oil on canvas,
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of James Tannock Mackelvie, 1884

(these others are still in copyright so here is the link)
Spot the lovely tenuous links

or
W D Hammond, Whistler's Mother, 2000, pen, ink, acrylic, Chartwell Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, 2000

or
Peter Peryer, Self Portrait 1977, 1977
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, Purchased 1981

or
John Tarlton, Hitching Home - mid term break, 1989, cibachrome photograph
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1989

or
Glenn Busch, Warrne Allis, Chicken Plucker, 1982, black and white photographs
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1983


2 turtle doves (here's the winner from yesterday)

Percy Thomas, The Doves, etchingAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mrs Ada Chapman Taylor, 1930

.....and a pukeko in a ponga Tree

Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithographAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932


See you tomorrow!

Happy Snappy Instamatic

The wonderful Kodak Instamatic was once named the 'Happy Snappy'. Placed on the international market in 1963, this camera immediately became the camera of choice for many New Zealanders. With its easy to use click in 126 plastic cassette, here was the best idiot-proof tool for personal photography. It had no dials to confuse the camera shy. It really was the first camera invented for the mass use of colour film. Black and white stock was still readily available but the resulting photographs never looked anywhere near as good as the colour ones did. The Instamatic had a fixed focus lens and was almost indestructible. I took over Dad's Instamatic 100 Deluxe with the motorised film advance for rapid shooting. I immediately imagined that I could take action photos but they never worked out because the shutter was way too slow to record such major hometown events as the High School's summer athletics and swimming days. In diving shots all I got was an image of the diver's splash and with the runners I got blurred figures with nicely focused backgrounds.

Yet the Instamatic could produce memorable images. Look at the odd one below. Imagine posing people on seats placed on the flat back of an articulated trailer? Here the photographer has had to get so far away so that the entire trailer can fit into the shot. None of the people can be recognised! Although it is noted on the reverse that the guy standing up is 'P.P. Birt.' What I also like is how the rear zigzag roof-line looms out from the articulated deck so that it suddenly becomes transformed into a bogan's souped up trailer. Al la 1966.



I reckon that the Instamatic actually gave both women and men an equal access to the camera, in the previous generation the family was jealously possessed by the 'Dad'. The possessive reality to ‘It’s my camera’ syndrome extended the 1890s to the 1960s. Strange to think that there was such a gender imbalance in the production of photographs for the first six decades of the 20th century. The Instamatic’s ease of use, light weight, its low cost and its overall physical handiness soon made it a favourite for women. I look at this little oddity and wonder whether the photographer's partner is up the telephone/power pole at Christmas time in 1966? Backcountry of Palmerston North, of course.

In a previous blog, I conjectured that only a woman could have made a particular snapshot based on the internal evidence of the image. I believe that one woman made all these Instamatic images. I found them at a local garage sale in a pile of over 200 photographs. The entire bunch was priced at $5.00. Someone, maybe the photographer herself, had carefully scored out in black marking pen ink almost all the names of people which the photographer had carefully inscribed onto the photos. Every image was so 'censored' and then they were all discarded for sale. Why not simply burn them? Why edit out the inscribed names and then sell them for $5.00? Many of the photographs include young children, the recurring man shown up the ladder (He has to be the photographer's husband as no one documents their brother like that) and plenty of older people (who have to be relatives?).

What makes this a fascinating group of pictures is the fact that the photographer has shot most of them on a diagonally framed bias, so all the resulting prints are presented in diamond format. They are carefully composed shots and would not have been easy to make, as the Instamatic's viewfinder is so tiny that all subjects really have to be carefully centred.

The intriguing profile shot above is of a young woman in a garden house and was taken at Queens Garden, Nelson in January 1964. The photographer is standing so close to her female friend that she is both out of focus and in silhouette. Look at how the patterns contrast between her dress to the lattice.

This domestic landscape has all the spooky air of a René Magritte painting where the emptiness itself becomes the subject ‘October 1966 New shed and study from Dinette.’ Certain evidence that a Gothic perspective towards our reality actually has currency in the everyday life of our citizens.

If you study these shots you can gain plenty of information. In February 1964, the Cashmere Scout Group was named Te Hoka and their mailbox was also employed as a water-fountain. Who recalls that fact now? Who thought of such a bizarrely combined usage or is this commonly encountered in Canterbury?

My personal favourite is a charming portrait of farm work. The inscription has survived the editing out process ‘Anne Gray and Bill O’Brien both about to spray blackberries behind Aunt Eliza’s home.’ Surely, New Zealand's only photograph of farm spraying made at Christmas in 1967? Truly a moment of stolen reality transformed into dreamtime.

On the second day of Christmas

On the second day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
2 Turtle Doves / 2 Kumera

Percy Thomas, The Doves, etching
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mrs Ada Chapman Taylor, 1930

They are not doves but there are at least two of them:


Percy Bagnall, Black Backed Gulls, 1919, colour lithograph
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932


or......................2 Kumera

Gottfried Lindauer, The Time of Kai, 1907, oil on canvas
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, gift of Mr H E Partridge, 1915


Will you vote traditional or kiwi for this one, cast your votes by leaving a comment and let me know

......and a partridge in a pear tree / pukeko in a ponga tree

and the public vote makes the winner from yesterday joint between:

Pukeko (nominated by our curator, Ngahiraka Mason)
Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithographAuckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932

and....

Partridge (nominated by our curator, Mary Kisler):
Paul Comolera, Partridge, bronzeMackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, bequest of James Tannock Mackelvie, 1885

Both curators will receive their prize before Christmas

Tomorrow: 3 French Hens and Three flax kits - get your nominations in

On the first day of Christmas......

A Christmas Art Challenge

Here we go, it begins:

On the first day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
a partridge in a
pear tree

Entries are below, i'll leave it to you, the readers, to decide who the winner is.
Leave a comment to vote.

Paul Comolera, Partridge, bronze
Mackelvie Trust Collection, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, bequest of James Tannock Mackelvie, 1885

This next one is still in copyright so until i figure out if i can display it you need to click the link below:

Fred Graham, He Manu Apo Kai Ngahere, 1995, wood and steel
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1995

***New entry****
Apologies for missing this one out :
Pear and Rose by Rene Magritte http://collection.aucklandartgallery.govt.nz/collection/results.do?view=detail&db=object&id=3788

and kiwi style:

On the first day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
a pukeko in a
ponga tree

Percy Bagnall, Pukeko, 1919, colour lithograph
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, transferred from the Auckland Public Library, 1932

If you think you can do better, submit your idea for tomorrow (2 Turtle Doves or Two kumera). Remember it must be from our collection and preferably out of copyright so I can show the image.

The winner/s of today's challenge will be announced in tomorrow's post.

On the 12th Day of a Kiwi Christmas

Having been in New Zealand 6 years (originally from the UK) sometimes I feel like I have been here for ages. However, every now and again something happens to put me in my place and remind me that I'm still really a 'newbie'.

After my last post, calling out for ideas for the 12 Days of Christmas song related to our collection. It was brought to my attention that there is a Kiwi version of this song which I should also have considered, and it goes a little something like this:

A Pukeko in a Ponga Tree

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me
Twelve piupius swinging
Eleven haka lessons
Ten juicy fish heads
Nine sacks of pipis
Eight plants of puha
Seven eels a swimming
Six pois a twirling
Five - big - fat - pigs !
Four huhu grubs
Three flax kits
Two kumera
And a pukeko in a ponga tree!

(from folksongs.org.nz)

So I'm now calling out for any works from our collection that relate to this song as well as the original 12 Days of Christmas song which i have already collected some entries for (first post on this later today).

It's keeping me singing, much to my work colleagues disgust!

I look forward to some new entries from you all.

A Christmas Art Challenge

This morning it occurred to me that it's nearly 12 days before Christmas (it will be on the 14^th).

So this year, to get in the Christmas mood I have set myself (and all of you) the challenge of finding an artwork in our collection that relates to each of the twelve days, as taken from the popular Christmas song, and popping them on the blog. (Even though according to wikipaedia, the song is actually about 12 days after Christmas)

So, in my variation which starts 12 days before Christmas, These are the objects/animals for each day:

12 Drummers Drumming (14 December)
11 Pipers Piping (15 December)
10 Lords a-Leaping (16 December)
9 Ladies Dancing (17 December)
8 Maids a-Milking (18 December)
7 Swans a-Swimming (19 December)
6 Geese a-Laying (20 December)
5 Gold Rings (21 December)
4 Colly Birds (often given as "Calling Birds") (22 December)

3 French Hens (23 December)
2 Turtle Doves (24 December)
A Partridge in a Pear Tree (25 December)

This is also my challenge to you! If any of you have any suggestion for artwork for any, or indeed all of the days, from our collection preferably to avoid copyright issues, I’d be glad to profile your answers on the blog. Otherwise I will promise to deliver some kind of relevant artwork each of the twelve days before Christmas, however tenuous the link.

So it’s a challenge to you out there, and to me!!

Good luck to all

Bring on December 14^th for the first post

Image credit:
Edward Fristrom
Pohutakawa
1903 - 1015
oil on card
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1967

A Sofra made for eating from

I can’t resist commenting on the spectacular tribal weaving that we are currently showing in Taste: Food and Feasting in Art until 14 February 2010.

Lent from a private New Zealand collection, it is one of the earliest Turkish textiles in New Zealand. This rug dates from about 1850. It was made by an unknown woman using handspun wool that has been painstakingly dyed using natural plant pigments.

This textile was woven by a nomadic Turkoman weaver somewhere near Balikesir; the largest city in the Marmara region of northwestern Anatolia (now named Turkey). The correct name for such a woven rug is sofra, or eating cloth. Traditionally it would have been placed on the ground as a covering from which dishes containing food would then be served.

The woman who wove this cover first handspun the wool and then dyed it using the ancient colour pigments of madder (for the red) and indigo (for the blue). The intensity and brightness of these hues is amazing and the wool has the reflective, velvety, surface the is only encountered in the finest tribal textiles from Asia. Early 19^th century sofra from Balikesir are renowned for their graphic and bold designs. This example has the wallop of an early twentieth century abstract painting. In the flesh this textile zings with colour.

The current owners of the rug have written about this floor cover - 'Striking in its simplicity, its wonderful matured colours and the texture of its weave, this kilim has great appeal. The varying thicknesses of the wefts and the way they are inserted eccentrically in many areas make the rich madder-red field far from static, its intensity emphasised by being placed along the black. Old, plain field kilims of this sort are uncommon.'

Image credit:
Unknown

Sofra circa 1850

Slit-tapestry weave

Wool and five plant pigment dyes

Warp: wool, s-plied

Weft: Wool, z-spun

Private collection, New Zealand

Brian Brake looks at Pablo Picasso

Brian Brake (1927 -1988) is going to be the subject of a major survey exhibition curated by Athol McCredie for Te Papa Museum of New Zealand in 2010. This will be the first comprehensive overview of the artist’s work and an opportunity to re-evaluate his achievement as a photographer. During his life, Brake became our most internationally renowned photographer so it is probably timely to review his photography.

New Zealand – Gift of the Sea was a collaborative book project that he undertook with Maurice Shadbolt (Whitcombe & Tombs, 1963). This publication went through a significant number of revised editions and it became the most popular illustrated book ever printed about New Zealand. Gift of the Sea remains a key book in the history of our photography as it mixes up a personal vision with a promotional response to New Zealand and New Zealanders. As such, it should be studied for the perspective it presents on our post-war life. I have never considered Brake’s work to be either purely corporate or always skewed towards the needs of his commercial clients. I find his photographs quite personal in tone and, sometimes, emotional.

In my previous posting on Brian Brake I indicated that he had a rare ability to get physically close to his subjects without them appearing to notice him or modify their behaviour. In 1989, a friend of the artist gifted 18 photographs by Brake, which constitute the photo-essay Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau at a bullfight. Brake was visiting southern France with his friend John Feeney in August 1955. On a Sunday they decided to travel the short distance to Vallauris where a bullfight was being held in honour of Picasso. They came across the artist having lunch with family and friends and, apparently, the table was already surrounded with itinerant photographers.

Here are three of the afternoon's images. While he is obviously very close to the table, Brake is still utilising one of his telephoto lens – the short depth of field supports this notion. When we were first preparing to exhibit this photo-essay (presented as part of Christopher Johnstone’s exhibition Picasso – The Life – The Times – The Genius 22 September – 12 November 1989) I accessed, courtesy of Magnum Photos in Paris, all the proofsheets of Brian’s 1955 negatives. I could then analyse the photographs’ chronological sequence and their relationship with one another. Four rolls of 35mm black and white negative were used that Sunday afternoon.

In At the café – Pablo Picasso and Maia Picasso 1955, the meal is now over and Brake is not close enough to concentrate either on the artist or on Maia, his second child. Following this moment in At the café – Maia Picasso with guitar 1955 the light has increased so much that it now creates a backlight. Plus, Maia’s grimace makes the resulting image really unusable for a publication. At the café – Pablo Picasso and Claude Picasso 1955 shows how bored Claude was at lunch. The 8 year old boy wants his father’s attention and keeps moving around the table during lunch.

Brian Brake recounted what happened next and it is worth republishing for what it illuminates about the circumstances of what followed: “I joined the photographers, got a few photographs, and decided on the spur of the moment to follow them to the bullfight. The crowd went with them, up to the front doors of the arena. Picasso went in and came out again. He’d gone in the wrong gate. Everyone was after his autograph. And it didn’t seem to matter where he signed it. Anyway, we took the usual posed photographs and the other photographers went off to watch the bullfight. I decided to stay on because I wanted to catch their reactions. I remember climbing a tree to get the best vantage point. But I ran out of film. So I went to the Paris Match photographer and asked him if I could borrow a roll. I told him I was from Magnum. He looked at me and stared me in the eye and said, ‘Never.’ This was certainly an education for me. I’d come from New Zealand with no experience of photojournalism whatsoever; certainly no knowledge of the intense rivalry for a story.

I went out into the village, brought another roll of film and returned to carry on with the photographs from the same tree. Then came the moment I’d been waiting for. The climax of the fight. Picasso’s son Claude got so excited he stuck his finger in his father’s mouth. It was the last shot on my last roll of film. That was the photograph that made the pages of the magazines around the world: Life, Stern, The Times, Paris Match!”

The bullfight - Claude puts his finger in Picasso's mouth is printed full-frame – there is no cropping. Interestingly, it has become one of the two best-known portraits of the artist and his son. The other portrait, probably better known, is Robert Capa’s much earlier portrait of both people at the seaside. Claude went on to become a photographer and his memories of the time are interesting.

Image credits:

Black and white photographs
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
gifted in memory of Brian Brake
by a friend of the artist, 1989
1989/24/1-18

Taste and Big Day Art

Our new exhibition, Taste: Food and Feasting in Art opens tomorrow and making for a packed first weekend including the return, this Sunday, of the ever popular Big Day Art.

For any of you that have not been before, its a big, fun day or activities for children and families. It's absolutely free but we are collecting for our Christmas City Mission Appeal so if you have any tins of easy prepare food that you could donate that would be awesome.

Here's the itinerary, ill be facepainting so come along and challenge me with some unusual requests!

See you there!

BIG DAY ART

Sunday 22 November 10am to 4pm
A FREE, FUN packed day for the whole family in our new
summer exhibition Taste: Food and Feasting in Art
with demonstrations, activities, guest appearances and lots, lots more.

􀁹 TK and Head Chef from Cool Kids Cooking
􀁹 H and the lads from West Lynn Organic Meats make sausages
􀁹 Tim Aspinall carves a butter sculpture
􀁹 Cara Telle decorates a traditional German gingerbread house
􀁹 Arno Sturmy makes simple homemade chocolate
􀁹 John Kelleher demonstrates the art of making sushi
􀁹 Monique Brik shows us how to make plaited bread
􀁹 Henry Spence and the art of making pasta

􀁹 plus face painting with Sarah and Vivien 􀁹 activity centre
􀁹 and Kate cooking up a feast in the studio

Please bring along a can of easy to prepare food for our City Mission Xmas Appeal

Peter Black’s portrait of Dr Diana Mason OBE, SPUC, Wellington

During one of her regular visits to the Auckland Art Gallery, I introduced myself to Dr Diana Mason (1922-2007). In New Zealand, she was famous as one of her generation’s distinguished physicians. I informed Dr Mason that the Gallery had purchased an exceptional portrait of her created by Wellington artist Peter Black. She commented that she had never seen Peter's portrait.

Taking her into the Print room, where we store all of our unframed works on paper, I opened the solander box and Dr Mason immediately erupted into laughter. She boomed out that the 1979 portrait was indeed "utterly memorable." Seen from below, the renowned obstetrician stands in her usual theatrical manner. Dressed for a formal public event in a shot-silk coat ensemble whose matching dress pattern is decorated in flaming boteh (almond blossom). She wears a tall furry hat, pendulous gold earrings and the astonishing Rudi Gernreich eye wear in mock tortoiseshell that were her specialty. Dr Mason's costume and pose are both spectacular and intimidating.

During the 1970s, Dr Mason served as the national President of the Society for the Protection of the Unborn Child (SPUC) – a controversial group who were vocal opponents of abortion. She frequently stated that her views on abortion were philosophical rather than religious – she always stated that she was an advocate for “family planning rather than child destruction.” As one of New Zealand’s eminent obstetricians she once declared, “since leaving Otago Medical School I have delivered a town.”

Peter Black acknowledges Dr Mason’s reputation by adding to the portrait’s title the abbreviations of OBE and SPUC. She was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1977 for her three-decade long service to obstetrics. The New Zealand Medical Journal (volume 120, number 1257) commented, “Dr Mason was a doctor when women interested in medicine were usually nurses.” The Journal further commented that she was “a flamboyant part of Wellington’s cultural life, guaranteed to stand out in a crowd at orchestra or theatre events, tall, proud and magnificently got up.”

The version of Peter Black’s portrait held in Te Papa Museum of New Zealand (registration number 0.003073) http://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/ObjectDetails.aspxoid=44735&coltype=Photography&regno=O.003073
is cropped less tightly both at the top and the right hand side than the Auckland Art Gallery's print. The tighter cropping further emphasizes the photographer’s low point of view and, arguably, makes the portrait appear more confrontational. As a powerful portrait of a remarkable New Zealand woman, Dr Diana Mason OBE, SPUC, Wellington is an outstanding instance of Peter Black’s skill as an insightful portraitist.

Image credit:
Peter Black
Born 1948, New Zealand

Dr Diana Mason OBE, SPUC, Wellington 1979
gelatin silver print toned with selenium
237 x 160mm
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki
purchased 1981
1981/4/3

Conservation conference and other thoughts

Our conservators are currently busy lending their hands and time to organise the 2009 New Zealand Conservators of Cultural Material annual conference to be held from 21-22 October in Auckland. http://www.conservators.org.nz/.

Now, most of you know that I’m not a conservator, but I was attracted to this event because the keynote speech, by John Holden on 21 October, will be free, open to the public and presented by videolink at the Auckland University of Technology. This means of getting the best presenters despite their location opens up all sorts of debate for me about conferences.

The reason for the videolink, I have found out, is to save money spent flying John, from the UK, out to New Zealand, so allowing some ‘think-tank demos’ (sounds intriguing) to be affordable for the conference. I like the lateral thinking here, John will still be answering questions etc, but without the thousands of dollars spent on flights.

The more I think about it the more I wonder whether the way forward for conference is to open up the information live online, with people from around the world talking to others who are not able to attend the conference in person for various reasons, often financial. I know this kind of happens with twitter at the moment but it needs to be actual and real (even though only virtual reality).

Why not share the information from conferences, live, not three weeks later, allow people to see and discuss topics even if they are not physically there. Maybe by conducting conferences in this way it might start even more discussions, collaborations and networks and open up the sacred doors of conferences that are so often closed to many. I know there is a financial reason for people attending but I imagine some sort of cheaper online subscription to conferences might be beneficial also. Just my thought for today.

Ok, that’s my rant over, back to the conference in hand, for those interested in attending the keynote speech on Wednesday 21 October, 6.30pm, it is being held at AUT, in lecture theatre WE240. Best of all it’s free and open to anyone.

Here is the brief synopses and bio taken from the poster for the event:


IT’S A MATERIAL WORLD:
the importance of conservation and its place in wider culture


The meaning of ‘culture’ has undergone radical change over a short space of time, but policy is based on an outdated concept of what culture means. Culture has become more participative, more integrated with other aspects of life, and hence more important to the way that people shape their identities. The concept and practices of museum and heritage conservation reflect an ethic of care for the material world that has wider application in the public realm and in society. Conservation has been seen in very narrow terms for too long, and conservators need to make the case for conservation not only in terms of its importance in relation to objects and the past, but also its role in shaping the values and creating the world of tomorrow. In doing so, conservators need to open up much more to public engagement and public dialogue.
John Holden was previously Head of Culture at Demos (http://www.demos.co.uk/people/johnholden) and is a Visiting Professor at City University.
He has Masters Degrees in law and art history and his main professional interest is in the development of people and organisations in the cultural sector.

The event is sponsored by National Services Te Paerangi, Auckland University of Technology, the NZCCM and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.

By the looks of the tired but excited faces of our conservators it is going to be a cracking event (excuse the conservation pun).

Meet the archaeologist

Below is a fantastic interview by Roimata Maihi with archaeologist Barry Baquié who is currently working on the Auckland Art Gallery Development project.

"I had passed this wall so many times but today was different. I listened to Barry as he told a piece of history - the Albert Park Barracks. I gazed through the small square hole in the last section of remaining barracks wall, which is where a soldier would have stood with his weapon hidden from the enemy. I wondered what it may have been like and what else is left from this time.

I then realised what Barry really enjoyed: it wasn’t the fact that he was his own boss or that he could work out doors and travel everywhere, it was the actual thrill and excitement he gets every time he’s on an exploration. Pure adrenaline!

It has been 36 years since Barry first began his journey uncovering the past. It all began one day when he was a young lad needing to choose another subject for his university studies. He was tagging along with a group of archaeology students on a field trip down Waikato Heads who were inspecting old shell middens (thrown away rubbish) along the beach. It was puzzling at first but he came to realize that these were the indicators of how Maori survived along the coastline. This fascination led him to further his studies into anthropology and archaeology.

Barry is the Archaeologist for the Auckland Art Gallery Development project. During the earthwork stages, he has been monitoring very closely the diggers and their excavation work along the base of the Albert Park hill. There has been onsite an enormous excitement, expectation, and anticipation of finding the WWII tunnels under Albert Park. Unfortunately, we never saw any remains or tunnel entrances, but we did find a garden relating to the time when Albert Park was formerly Albert Barracks (see photo and map below).




Artifacts found on site have included bottles, newspapers, and ceramic pieces dating back to the 1850’s. Based on the hand-painted art work on one of the ceramic artifacts, Barry was able to estimate the making of the artifact to the 1830 – 1840 period (see photo below). A clock record book found in the building walls of the clock tower, had records dating back to 1933. Barry hopes to see some of these artifacts found during the construction period displayed in the new Gallery.

Barry reckons that to appreciate the present it helps to have a bit of an understanding of the past. He describes the process as the tip of the iceberg, where all that is visible is just a small reflection of our culture with the vast mass of our remains either destroyed forever or waiting to be excavated, explored, and interpreted. An archaeologist carefully carves to unveil what was ordinary, but now precious in its original state; hidden by time.