Lister

Fingers

 
A few posts ago I showed some fingers and some tree roots and mentioned that it’s not the fingers and roots at all but something behind them that I am really interested in. it seems that fingers or roots are not in fact the real subject. The real subject lies within a template that, unconsciously perhaps, I am carrying around as my own personal geiger counter, all the time looking for somewhere to apply it, even weak signals catch my attention.
Above is a photograph that I took when I had a studio in Lister Building in Victoria St, right in the CBD of Auckland. At the time Karen Walker was on the floor above me, she was in the early stages of her career. The building, was filling with alternatives such as film, changing it from the medical building that it had been, although medicals still coexisted and in fact I had much dentistry there, a floor or two above. The surgery had several of my photos on the walls.
I used to walk from my studio down High Street to a yoga school, upstairs, near Unity Books. Janet, one of my favourite instructors agreed to my request to walk back up to my studio and press her hand against a wall. At the time and even now I still marvel at the flexibility of her joints, not a white knuckle to be seen.
Here is an art historical footnote. My old studio is now the workshop of a tailor, Gus McKay, brother of Hamish. I’ve had two suits made there, they’re natty and it’s fun being able to say occasionally that I have to go because I have an appointment with my tailor. Gus’s number is 021 784623. Men and women. Tell him I sent you.

Auckland Again.

I’m back in Auckland for a week, housesitting for friends while they’re in Sydney. It’s a chance to spend a few days here, enjoying the valuables this city has to offer. And of course, most importantly look for a new photograph.

This home uses a Mac which I’ve never used before. I’ve only used PC’s. It’s taken me a few hours to find my way around the controls of this Mac, and that is only the tiniest start. My impression is that the Mac is silky, and relaxing.

On Monday I went to see a tailor, Gus McKay about having a suit made for me. I cannot remember when I last owned a suit but it must be at least 30 years. I know I got married in one, and then I would have been in my early 20’s and I was born in 1941!

Gus, is the brother of Wellington art dealer Hamish McKay. Serendipitously, Gus works out of my old studio on the 6th floor of Lister Building, where I was for several years in the early 90’s. After Rembrandt was printed there. My darkroom is now a luxurious bathroom. Lister Building, right in the middle of town, is in Victoria Street opposite the Victoria Street Carpark, 50 steps from Queen Street, the plumb centre of the CBD. After the economic slump post 1987 CBD rents , it almost not to strong to put it this way… collapsed. Lister Building was one of the sites to which we congregated. Karen Walker was on floor above, Greg Gibb my dentist was opposite. Over the years that is where I had many fillings, crowns, partials.
All propping up my snaggle teeth. No matter how much I took care of them, it just seems that they were genetically soft.

On the bookcase here, where I am housesitting for Julian Dashper and Marie Shannon, there is a little volume called Strangeland, by Tracey Emin. I was encouraged when I saw how openly Tracey Emin spoke about her dental work eg her crumbling front teeth.

In my Taranaki computer I have a photo of Lister Building. On Monday I’ll be able to show it to you. It’s one of the most intact Chicago Style buildings in Auckland, although at present, painted in the way that it is, you would scarcely recognise it.