Daniel Betham
This is the first opening I had been to in a long time, I get a bit nervous about going to shows by myself and drink the free wine too fast then leave.
I was lucky to meet a lovely lady named Laura Scheper at the opening, also a practicing artist (see 98 Limes) she was in Wellington for a few days. We talked about the works, and the art scene in Wellington, and Gisborne (she is from the US), and how lovely New Zealanders are. This made me feel like realise I was 100% the reason for New Zealanders having a reputation of loveliness. In that packed out pulsating space we also talked about meeting strangers and having great conversations with the leg of a white plastic chair poking you in the back of the head.
Faux paaaaas, I just admitted to touching the art… I feel like since I have a BFA I’m allowed to touch all the art anyway, “No it’s ok, I’ve done this before, I can touch this, I won’t drop it on its head or anything.” ‘Actually can you just stop leaning on that Ron Mueck sculpture Miss’. But really how else was I going to get a clear picture with the shutter speed that low?
My favourite work in Daniel Betham’s show was the video work of the deck chairs sticking out of a tennis court fence, gyrating, gathering momentum, snapping falling bristling deck-chair-hair it was awesome. If anyone ever went in the Life Education van with Harold and Barbara, this work reminded me of when she made us line up facing each other and pelvic thrust inwards so that we were an oesophagus. It was awkwardly sexual, even at seven years old you don’t want to be thrusting at your classmates (Austin Powers hadn’t made it funny yet).
Daniel is a Massey graduate, like these artists that showed at Enjoy last week. I think I get his work, have you ever watched sport whilst really high? I haven’t, but I can only imagine it would reveal how obscene rugby players look bashing each other with incredible brute animalistic strength, wrestling man meat on man meat.
Anyone know who won the rugby?
amandalikesart 