Thursday 24 December 2009

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

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

Wednesday 23 December 2009

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


...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.

Tuesday 22 December 2009

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




....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

Monday 21 December 2009

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!!!

Thursday 17 December 2009

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

Wednesday 16 December 2009

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


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.

Tuesday 15 December 2009

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

Monday 14 December 2009

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.

Tuesday 8 December 2009

A Christmas Art Challenge













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

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 14th for the first post



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

Thursday 3 December 2009

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 19th 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