What the critics say

Last year, Roger Horrocks released his excellent biography of New Zealand-born artist Len Lye, a supremely fascinating character. Now Horrocks, this time as editor, and Auckland University's Holloway Press, have produced in book form for the first time Lye's manuscript Happy Moments.

It's just as the title says: 21 essays and eight "doodles" encapsulating Lye's "radiant and forceful memories of his childhood in New Zealand and his early attempts to formulate his unique theory of art".

Says Horrocks in the book's afterword: "Moments was written around 1960 in New York. Lye had not seen New Zealand for more than 35 years but was still in touch with his brother Philip. Having for years been engaged in a theoretical study of individuality and its relationship to art on the one hand and happiness on the other, Lye began to consider his own childhood as a case study in 'getting to know your own mind'. Once he started describing his most intense early memories he found he had hit a rich lode."

The book, with a limited edition of 150 numbered copies, will be published on Thursday. (To contact Holloway Press, email p.simpson@auckland.ac.nz)

Horrocks has given Arts & Minds permission to publish the first, very short chapter, "Flash":

"The very first thing I remember is also the most vivid. I am kicking a large shiny square-sided kerosene can. Not quite four and in a tantrum I am turfed out of the house into a sunny backyard with its apple trees and a large asphalt area under the clothes lines. I kicked that can around to make the most god-awful racket my lungs and kicks on the can could.

"I forget what such hysterics feel like but I can still feel the impact of my kicks on that can and hear an echo of tinny clashes. What is most clear is a great flash of quivering sunlight that came from the can. I stood stock still and looked at it. I don't know what I did next. I think I went over and sat on a log and looked at the can.

"We're all stopped short by wonder sometime [sic] and that's when it first stopped me in my tracks."

Sounz of music:

The winner of the fifth $3000 Sounz Contemporary Award for music will be announced tomorrow night at the Apra Silver Scroll Awards at the Civic.

The finalists are Chris Cree Brown's Memories Apart for chamber ensemble; John Psathas' View From Olympus, a double concerto for piano, percussion and orchestra; and John Rimmer's Europa, a concerto for brass band and orchestra.

New Work, Nic Moon, Lane Gallery:

Moon uses feathers, thistledown, pebbles, pumice and Oamaru stone to fine effect in evocations of the natural world of both heaven and earth. The effect is at its best in ritual, circular works where the material is imposed on contour maps and in one memorable piece luminously projected on to a disk; until November 30.

Here and There, Bineta Hinton, Desiree Prinsloo, Wendy Leech, Studio of Contemporary Art:

Three accomplished women artists project their personality on to Italian and French landscapes with each producing both structured paintings and a sense of romantic picturesqueness; until November 22. T.J. McNamara

Big River, Unitec Theatre, Carrington Rd:

As hubbie Michael Hurst dashes off each night to perform in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, spouse (and actor) Jennifer Ward-Lealand turns her hand to directing Unitec School of Performing and Screen Arts year two and three students in the multi Tony award-winning musical Big River, based on Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn; until November 30.