Style: July 01, 2019

16 STYLE | events
ART & ABOUT
Words Gaynor Stanley
CHRISTCHURCH ARTS FESTIVAL
26 JULY – 4 AUGUST
A grand winter spectacle is the promise of a reimagined festival
under new Artistic Director, George Parker. Showcasing the very
best in contemporary music, performance and visual arts, the
specially curated programme reflects the extraordinary creativity
and diversity of both local and Aotearoa artists, he says. “The
programme sets out to explore what makes Otautahi such a
special place. This is the new Otautahi – bold, brave and brilliant!”
Footnote Dance Company’s
The Clearing.
Catch Julia Deans in Like Water,
with Bella Kalolo, Flip Grater and
Bel Canto Choir.
GEORGE’S TOP TIPS ON WHAT
NOT TO MISS
Opening weekend – 26 & 27 July: A free,
family friendly spectacle of light, sound and
performance along the new City Promenade
featuring giant puppets, light projections and
performers on balconies and riverbanks.
Theatre: Multi award-winners Meremere, the
extraordinary life journey of dancer Rodney Bell
(1-3 August) and Aranui’s Tusiata Ava’s Wild
Dogs Under My Skirt (25-27 July).
Dance: Footnote Dance Company’s new work
The Clearing (31 July), designed and directed
by Ross McCormack; Onepu (2 August),
choreographed by Louise Potiki-Bryant.
Music: Tami Neilson and Delaney Davidson
(1 August), Julia Deans with Bella Kalolo, Flip
Grater, and Burnside High’s Bel Canto Girls
Choir (3 August), soulful starlet Nadia Reid
(28 July), Ladi6 & Parks on the Meet me at the
Doghouse bill (3 August).
Closing night – 3 August: The festival ends
with a special winter night market and hangi
for 1000 at The Commons presented by Ngai
Tuahuriri and Ngai Tahu.
STUDIO 125 POP-UP GALLERY
UNTIL 20 JULY
Catch the final weeks of the annual pop-up
at Studio 125 Gallery, 125 Aikmans Road,
Merivale, in support of SCAPE Public Art.
The gallery is a partnership between Heather
and Neville Brown and SCAPE to promote
and fundraise for public art in the city. This
year is the fifth collaborative showcase.
Leading an eclectic and impressive list of
artists in the group exhibition are established
British artist Kevin Osmond, who is currently
living and working in Auckland, and a hot
new young talent from Brisbane, Bridie
Gillman, who just added the Moreton
Bay Art Award to her portfolio. Bridie is
exhibiting in New Zealand for the first time
at Studio 125 with Before the leaves turn, a
seductive colour-saturated series of abstract,
expressive paintings, inspired by visits to
family in Wanaka.
Kevin Osmond, Wormhole In Space, 2019
(hand-printed embossed woodblock print
on 300gsm Hahnemühle deckled edge
etching paper 810mm x 890mm).
Image: Courtesy of the artist
Bridie Gillman, Deep, 2019 (oil and pastel
on linen 1250mm x 1000mm).
Image: Courtesy of the artist