5 things you have to see at Auckland Artweek

Silhouettes by John Pusateri, Seed Gallery.

With Auckland Artweek beginning on Friday, we pinned down programme facilitator Marlaina Key and forced her to reveal her favourites from the 10-day festival.

1. Chromatic Invention II by Mervyn Williams

Key says you need to experience this artwork in person to appreciate the illusionary qualities created on the two-dimensional surface. "It generates an astonishing sense of three-dimensional forms." It's part of a 50-year retrospective by Williams, one of New Zealand's most senior artists.

See it at: Lost for Words - Mervyn Williams from Modernism to the Digital Age, Gus Fisher Gallery, September 5 to November 1

2. Witness V by John Pusateri

Here, Pusateri transforms a photo of a museum bird specimen into "a vivid, hyper-real portrait that will blow you away with its meticulous attention to detail", says Key. "Sometimes seemingly more real than real, they are incredible portraits with piercing gazes that seem to stare right through you."

See it at: Silhouettes John Pusateri, Seed Gallery, Newmarket, October 8-25

3. Girl with a Teacup by Zarahn Southon

Key found herself holding her breath when she saw this intimate portrait, reluctant to interrupt the subject's moment of reflection. She says it beautifully demonstrates the Auckland classical painter's fascination with light and atmosphere. "The scene seems familiar and inviting with its voyeuristic beauty."

See it at:

Tempus Zarahn Southon, Jonathan Grant Galleries, Parnell, October 14 - November 2

4. TL;DR by Devin Kenny

The letters stand for "too long; didn't read" - a commentary on contemporary communication. It's part of an exhibition featuring artists who try to create meaning within popular media, from Tumblr to Chatroulette. "This show speaks to a generation where communication is done via a multitude of digital media," says Key, who admits the internet is her crutch.

See it at:

TL;DR, Artspace, Karangahape Rd, October 10 - November 8

5. Skeleton by Nic Moon

In this artwork, Moon combines an old reel mower with the skeleton of a mahoe leaf. "I'm always taken back by her delicate use of light within her sculptural installations, while commenting on the fragility of our environment," says Key.

See it at: Tissue Memory Nic Moon, Whitespace, Ponsonby, October 7-25

Auckland Artweek runs October 10-19, in nine neighbourhoods across Auckland.