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Thursday, Invercargill

Yesterday I visited a number of most interesting sites which I will blog about over the next few days.

This afternoon I am driving the two and a half hours to Dunedin, to among other things, go to an opening at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Back tomorrow.

Last night, in Queens Park, right next to where I live, the cherry blossom has come out and some Japanese had organised hanami, the traditional celebration held under the trees when they are in flower. I was interested in going because I have been to them in Tokyo and had a great time. Ideally one should drink sake and if a petal falls in your glass then it’s good luck. No cheating allowed.

Still having to spend a lot of time studying how to make the change from PC to Mac.


Suck on this.

I’ve photographed these feeders before. They are often found on dairy farms where they are used for feeding calves. This one caught my attention because of its colours, the ones that I have seen before are black.
I don’t think that I am ever going to manage to make a photograph that I would want to exhibit but there is a humour about these devices that attracts me.

P.S. I’ve just added this version of the photo below. I prefer the higher one. Accidentally, yesterday, I posted the wrong photo. Today’s version feels tighter, and I like the way that the head in the top left is more compressed.


Tiwai

A friend took me to see Tiwai Point, near Bluff and site of an aluminium smelter. The ore is shipped in from Australia I think, and the electricity, and lots of it, comes from Lake Manapouri.

Apparently it is possible to go on tours of the inside of the smelter although digital cameras are not recommended. Seems that the electrical field in there may interfere with their functioning.

The Red Rat

This rat is probably quite well known. It’s on the side of the road just south of Blenheim. Somehow I just couldn’t resist taking a snap of it.

I took the image about a month ago as I drove from New Plymouth to Invercargill.


Art + Object catalogue

These two photos of mine appeared recently in an auction catalogue, on this occasion from Art + Object in Auckland.

What interested me was the way in which, unlike most photographic books, my photos were presented vertically.

Burwell House, Invercargill.

Tomorrow, Monday, I leave New Plymouth to live in this house for four months as artist-in-residence. Rather grand looking I think. And I’m assured that it is warm.

I’m driving down, allowing at least a week. Thursday I’m in Christchurch I know.


Sumo
I’ve been following a sumo tournament on NHK, a Japanese television station supplied through SKY. At the top level there are only six of these sumo tournaments per year. They start on a Sunday and finish on the Sunday fifteen days later. Bouts are held during the day, and end promptly at 6 pm. When the spectators approve of a wrestler they throw their seat cushions into the ring something that seemed to amuse me greatly.

The Sumo tradition, is thought to be a couple of thousand years old. The referees dress in the style of Shinto priests. I tried to photograph a referee from the television image but didn’t manage on this occasion.

Here is the scoreboard after 12 matches. I think that the leaders is the score in red.

Tidying Up

Over the last few days I’ve been going through my clothes, discarding some, and looking at better ways to store the rest. In the back of one of my cupboards I found this tie or belt hanger that I had bought years ago. I always liked it more to look at than to use. If anything, I like it more and more. I gave up using it some time ago.

I’m going to make a print this photo so that I can live with it for a few days. To see if it’s a keeper.

Turbulence

The Auckland Art Gallery is presenting the 3rd Auckland Triennal so I’m off to Auckland this afternoon to attend a couple of openings.

There are 35 artists from more than 20 countries, who it states in the publicity, will address the condition of turbulence – the complex and unpredictable times in which we live.

Ill let you know what I think, when I return in a few days.

P.S. Thank you to Julian for sending me an e-mail example of the encroachment of the word ‘groundbreaking‘ into art writing. This time from an Australian gallery.

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