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Published: September 8th 2005
Hi there all
Well it's Friday morning for us, now recovered from the jet lag. Both Helena and I have been having some very weird moments, such as waking up in the middle of the night (lunch time in the UK) even though not hungry, trying not to fall asleep during the day and feeling very much like drunks due to tiredness!
Luckily that is all past now and our body clocks have adjusted to Kiwi time! The hostel is in a camden-town-esque area with a high punk and street culture scene. Auckland city central is about 2miles square, surrounded by acres of suburbs. It has the feel of most Ports, being slightly rough around the edges but very alive and vibrant. Colonial Architecture meets American fast food and Asian skyscrapers is the best description I can muster.
We shopped and visted the Auckland Art Gallery yesterday, in a cultural quarter with several other commercial galleries backing on to it (those uninterested in Art can look away now!).
It is a relativily small but strong gallery, when compared with our major galleries back home. There were some suprise finds, such as an allegorical bust of Napolean and, worth another look before we leave for England.
The Art scene is very different to back home, where as we often reference the Renaissance, the scene here references colonial painting and grand narratives from the 18th and 19th Centuries, as well as Modern painting such as Picasso (for use of ethnic objects). Painting is prolific here, both Modern/Abstract and Contemporary narrative, with a suprise emphasis on the latter. Conceptualism is as sensational as back home, however biculturalism and the Australasia Art market are dominant, standing in for our European Art scene.
The Art education here is also as chaotic, the techs (colleges) are starting to run degree courses, (same as back home). Which is threatening dominant Art Universities here, who are trying to change to keep up with this "new scene", which favours a Pluaralist approach. An older "Bauhaus run" University, has recently shifted to a Pluarlistic approach to try and keep up!
Enough Art talk for now, as today we plan to head to Phia beach and start our leg up North! Hopefully go and sit by some beaches this weekend! Do some painting, drink some wine and chill out!
The weather remains fine and spring like.
All the best to you all, love Chris and Helena :-) 😊 xx
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Lyn
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we are reading this
just in case you're wondering if anyone is reading this, yes we are Chris!! We just envious! Tell Helena to be careful, not too many dangerous sports.