Deep Inside – Documentation

Deep Inside shows at the Hamish McKay Gallery until the 13th of October. The poster is pretty ace, so like a book cover the show had to be pretty ace as well. The first thing I saw upon advancing up the stairs was a video work, and I was so ermagehrd excited that I walked straight past in search of more and never actually watched it. Because then I saw this…

Mikala Dwyer
Methylated Spiritual,  2012
mixed media (detail)

Mikala Dwyer’s work was my favourite, I really can’t be fucked with the big square oil monochromes by E Newman flaccid on the walls, who wants to fanny about with that when you can look at your own reflection? Dwyer’s work was everything, and I just viewed everything else through it.

I spent a lot of time looking at this work, its different elements that ranged from fecal glazed thumbed ceramic circles to terracotta fingering holes with textile pony tails and drinking straws. The sheets of creaming soda perspex created a brilliant 1970’s filter through which to view the distorting spectacle of the rest of the show.

Mikala Dwyer
Methylated Spiritual, 2012
mixed media
Documentation by Hamish McKay Gallery

Looking at the work in the photograph above, with all reference points to scale removed aside from the meths bottle (but its probably an elaborate tiny reproduction, who knows) this would make an elaborate pointy and potentially hazardous necklace. Because this work was so physically engaging, documenting it accurately is a real challenge.

Documenting a work usually begins with you standing at the opposite wall getting the whole work to fit within the frame. This seems unnecessarily formal, but I guess if you don’t take it all in then what are the limitations on how close up you take the photograph? How relevant is the holistic pano view compared to the physical viewing and interaction? What insights can you take from that distant and far removed perspective?

Mikala Dwyer
Methylated Spiritual, 2012
mixed media (less detail)

As soon as you stop viewing and start documenting, everything about your interaction with the art changes. With camera in hand I stopped thinking about the work as a whole; I was far more interested in the reflections it made, shifting focus between its surface and the images is contained reflecting the rest of the show through wavering panels of perspex.

Mikala Dwyer
Methylated Spiritual  2012
mixed media (detail)

I’ve struggled in the past to see photography as anything more than documentation as that is all I’ve used it for. That stage lasted longer than my rap music stage, I don’t know what that says about me.

Peta Larkin The_Net

I have been meaning to see these works at Bartley and Company for weeks since the show opened. I haven’t seen works by this artist before, and from the thumbnails I thought it was Martin Thompson.

His work on the wall visible from the bar at Midnight Espresso, pink pixel fractal, up way too high to see. It doesn’t make the vegan nachos taste better, or drown out the sound of the waitress’ screaming ‘turkish tofuuuu buuuun’ bouncing of the walls competing with the inappropriately loud drum n bass,  but its pretty cool. Boo Midnight.

STREAMING ATA I_2012
year: 2012
size: 1015 x 610 mm
media: acrylic on perspex Courtesy of Bartley and Company Art, Wellington

Did_you_ever_name_files_like_this.doc

These works are incredible, I couldn’t pick a favourite. It took me a few advances and retreats with furrowed brow to figure out the glass was behind the work and not in front, quite an illusion. Squares of perfectly flat black paint pixels in a beautiful digitally inspired tukutuku.  In the coloured works, the paint was applied so that at times it oozed felt tip fluoro green through the tapestry canvas like a playdough spaghetti haircut.

EXPLORER (2012)
year: 2012
size: 960 x 660 mm
media: acrylic on mesh on canvas                                    Courtesy of Bartley and Company Art, Wellington

The qualities of fabric in these works are what I like the most; twisting and warping, sagging on walls like old tapestry, so vibrant in neons and black. Looking for symbols within these is like a word search. The first thing I saw was a Marae; reduced down to a few squares, the matapihi looking out from beneath out stretched ribs are instantly recognisable. Art that is Kiwi in a way that isn’t kitsch isn’t something I get the pleasure of seeing, and I feel privileged that I can see in those squares what others may not. Like the  llamatron lama lurking amongst the other symbols pew pew pew.

The marriage of modern and traditional, digital and analog, past and present reminds me of Rachel Rakena‘s work. She is also represented by Bartley and Company, her video works and installations are very poignant.

Lisa Reihana‘s website is unfortunately not as awesome as it once was, or rather it isn’t there. Such a shame it was so damn cool. I saw some of her video works at Te Papa, Mai i te aroha, ko te aroha, Te Ara a Hine. The video portraits are very engaging, and it was the first of her works I had physically been in front of. I think my love for these artists is a hangover from art school, you’re always going to like (says I) works that deal with mediums you know about in depth.

I can’t tell you my name but I can show you where you should scratch me! Head, followed by belly and chin, ta.

I can’t think of many things cooler than a dog that chills out outside an art gallery. Old brown eyed girl you are beautiful, thanks for the affection.