Art matters: Finely observant curiosity governs showcase selection

Shawl by Patricia Bosshard-Browne at Objectspace. Photo / Nick Atkinson

Aucklanders who dig art, fashion and live music undoubtedly have shared a little space with one of the city's most dynamic couples. They live in an old, wooden Grey Lynn house painted bright pink. They cruise the streets swiftly and silently on their electric bikes. In my experience, they dress sharper than anyone else in the room and may be the most effective barometer of an event's quality in this misty town.

If you see Doris de Pont or Tejo van Schie at a gig you're definitely in the right hall. Van Schie was at the finest venue in Newmarket last Monday, the Lucha Lounge.

He was wearing a splendid coat of exotic cloth. It may have been a cape. We both enjoyed Delaney Davidson's album launch with guest spots by Marlon Williams, Tami Neilson and Davidson's new collaborator Nicole Garcia who thrilled us with a soaring ballad in Spanish.

The show was intimate, magnificent and open to the general public. That is perhaps the key element to the style and grace of Doris and Tejo. They believe in our community. They foster the arts and participate. They're the first on the dance floor and they're generous hosts.

Many readers will already be familiar with Doris de Pont's work with the New Zealand Fashion Museum. I met her a few years back as she curated a show of clothes that told the story of our pop music history. Luckily, I had a perfectly preserved custom-made tracksuit from my teens when I played sax with Supergroove.

Her curiosity in my humble garments gave me new appreciation for my personal artefacts hidden about the place.

That same finely observant curiosity governed her selection of work from 14 artists and designers for the Strands exhibition now on at Objectspace. This is the first of an annual series showcasing a process, in this case weaving.

"The object of the whole exercise was to find out what's happening in weaving in New Zealand at the moment," says de Pont, who includes work from the different poles of local weaving.

At one extreme are the refined, orthodox bolts of cloth expertly woven by Patricia Bosshard-Browne.

"She's a very sensitive handler of New Zealand material. She does a lot of work in Perendale wool, New Zealand's original sheep."

Hanging opposite is a selection of Te Tai, traditional ceremonial head adornments of the island nation Kiribati, woven by Louisa Humphry.

"She represents that lovely thing that's happened with Pacific artists coming to New Zealand, making use of materials they find here," says de Pont, noting it is the same process Humphry would have used in the islands, as she weaves with whatever comes to hand.

Here, in Auckland, that happens to be brightly coloured drinking straws. You can also find Humphry's work on display at Auckland Art Gallery in the Wunderruma jewellery exhibition.