15 art galleries....

While in Auckland (following my Overlander train journey) I spent one and a half days visiting art galleries. The weather was perfect and ten of the galleries were part of ArtPrecinct which is a designated group of galleries located in one city block. The other five galleries were further afield. On the Friday afternoon I flew back to Wellington.

John Leech Gallery

Auckland City Art Gallery (temporary premises while renovations taking place in its usual home)

Tim Melville Gallery, FHE Gallery and Fingers (contemporary jewellery).

There was a wide selection of works on show. I am constantly amazed at creative people. Too many to report on of course but two 'struck a cord'.

The Auckland City Gallery had an exhibition titled Taste: Food and Feasting in Art. Everything imaginable was on display from traditional art to contemporary installations. One exhibit consisted of 100+ chocolate fish arranged to display the word KOHA (Maori word for gift). Viewers were invited to remove a fish and consume, in the spirit of Koha*.

The Tim Melville Gallery was shrouded in black cloth and a slide projector was the only item on display. In this slide projector were 'slides' made of pounamu (highly valued New Zealand greenstone) by Joe Sheehan. I am not talking conventional slides here, these had been carved out of the pounamu itself, and the projector light shone through each piece of stone projecting its colours and patterns on to the screen. It was fascinating interpreting each image. Amazing!

*Yes, I did.....but only because there were several gaps from that day's earlier visitors!