Heather Hapeta lives in Aotearoa-New Zealand: real travel, real adventures, real stories, real photos. Recent destinations Vietnam, Cambodia, Taiwan and Hong Kong – now NZ destinations due to COVID travel restrictions
Of course, I could be accused of being prejudiced – I lived opposite the gallery as it was built, so heard and felt every pile being driving into the stoney Canterbury soil, so agree, I do have a feeling of ownership.
A few images from a lovely afternoon in Christchurch, New Zealand. (taken on my phone)
Christchurch Art Gallery reflects me and old villasHard to see, but a few godwits feed after recently arriving for their summer feed fest (from Alaska)Yellow wattle and blue skies at The Columbo shopping centrethe award-winning cafe Hello Sunday in an old church. Beside The Columbo
Entrance to Rutherford’s Den. Christchurch Arts Centre
Christchurch Art galleryhas a Ron Mueck exhibition, opening tomorrow (2nd October 2010 – 23rd Jan 2011), and I had a sneak preview today.
According to Wikipedia Mueck“began his career working on Australian children’s television programs, and his early career was as a model maker and puppeteer for television and films, notably the film Labyrinth for which he also contributed the voice of Ludo, and the Jim Henson series The Storyteller.
Mueck moved on to establish his own company in London, making photo-realistic props and animatronics for the advertising industry.
In 1996 Mueck transitioned to fine art, collaborating with his mother-in-law, Paula Rego, to produce small figures as part of a tableau she was showing at the Hayward Gallery. Rego introduced him to Charles Saatchi who was immediately impressed and started to collect and commission work. This led to the piece which made Mueck’s name, Dead Dad, being included in the Sensation show at the Royal Academy the following year.
The rest as they say is history. I found the exhibition challenging – interesting, fascinating, almost disturbing. While the sculpture of his dead father was acceptable, as soon as I turned the corner, there is a mask of the artist. really large and although I wanted to touch the life-like face – of course I didn’t touch and nor should you … this is strictly don’t touch show.
Mueck ‘s sculpture played with my perception about scale. The smaller forms, like the old ladies, although amazing, didn’t challenge me like the extra-large pieces. They were challenging and I felt I was being intrusive – intruding into a personal space. Make sure you see it too – I don’t want to put more photos here or it may spoil the experience.
Tell me what you think. Love it; hate it; or?Leave a comment.