What’s On: Gardens, Galleries & More Good Things For The Weekend

Some gentle things to soothe the soul (and support others too).

Help the communities and people impacted by these catastrophic weather events

With a national state of emergency declared, and people around the motu affected, we’re thinking of everyone living through this unprecedented weather event. To help people in the areas impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle, the NZ Herald and Viva’s parent company NZME are teaming up with the New Zealand Red Cross in a fundraising appeal. Donate here, and share this with your community to spread the word.

And for those in need of warm clothing and basic essentials, Viva has also compiled a list that we have been updating regularly to support those in need and who are actively taking donations.

Watch an insightful documentary about a cultural icon

Pamela Anderson is ready to tell her story, in her own words. Following the release of her new book, she’s also created a documentary with Netflix, Pamela, a Love Story, that’s streaming now and well worth a watch, offering a deep dive into her childhood, marriages, work and life in the public eye. “My heartstrings were really tugging throughout this raw and telling documentary,” says Viva fashion assistant Annabel Dickson, and it’s just one of the great recommendations from the Viva team for what to watch right now.

Support F.O.L.A. – [AKL], and the whole Auckland Pride Festival

Sadly, due to the cyclone and flooding, F.O.L.A. – [AKL], the inaugural festival of live art, inspired by the cycles of the sun and moon, has had to drastically change and cut back on its schedule.

Free events — HULLA GULLA Chaos Party, Liquid Light, Diaspora Rendered, Flea Pit, and Surviving the Necropolis — will be going ahead on Saturday, February 18, with a one-day-only line-up of live art events.

If you’d like to support the festival financially, Basement Theatre has set up a donations drive, running until Monday, February 20.

And after a tumultuous couple of weeks, what better way to support the city’s queer, creative communities than by getting involved in Auckland Pride Festival 2023? There’s a dynamic mix of events on the schedule, and for our other recommendations of what to see, do and support in Tāmaki Makaurau. Check out our Pride guide.

Immerse yourself in the Renaissance

Our friends at The Civic have been hosting an incredible multimedia experience, and this week is your last chance to see it. Renaissance — The Age of Genius brings to life around 500 works of art by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Botticelli, Titian and Caravaggio, all projected around a three-sided exhibition space alongside an entrancing soundtrack of classical music — its European producers are behind similar shows like The Art of Banksy. A relaxing way to spend your weekend. The show closes February 19, so don’t miss your chance to see it. Tickets start at $45, available here, and there is accessible seating available.

See an exhibition of contemporary Pacific art

Opening this Saturday, February 18, at Bergman Gallery, and on for a month, Pride and Prejudice, Part 1 (the first in a three-installment exhibition series) explores the idea of prejudice, and how we live with it, through a collection of work from queer and Pasifika artists — you can expect to find a hopefully, sensitive rendition of this subject matter. “They are not victim impact statements, nor are they a condemnation or judgment of others,” says the gallery. “These stories function as a stock take of the reality we live in, and purposefully reflect that we believe the fight for equality in all of its forms, is far from over.” It will have paintings, sculptures and photography on show from artists Heather Straka, Sione Monū, Lucas Grogan, Raymond Sagapolutele, Oliver Cain, Luke Thurgate and Louie Bretaña. A dealer gallery that operates in Aotearoa, Rarotonga and Cook Islands, Bergman Gallery represents artists from the Pacific — you’ll be able to find them at the Aotearoa Art Fair from March 2-5.

For all of our readers in Whanganui, here’s a nice event to head along to on Saturday, February 18. The whānau-friendly La La La Festival celebrates women in music, and is part of the Lost Art Summer in the Square series of events. The line-up includes Anika Moa, Valkyrie, Ripple Effect, The Flow Collective and Sophie Toyne, and the Taite-nominated group Lips. 1pm-9pm, Majestic Square, Whanganui. Tickets are $43 (and free if you’re under 16).

Visit a new Yvonne Todd exhibition (with a special Viva connection)

For our spring quarterly magazine last year, Viva Magazine – Volume Nine, we had the honour of one of Aotearoa’s leading arts photographers, Yvonne Todd, photographing one of the key fashion shoots entitled Personal Mythology, lending her distinctive eye to the season’s mix of pastel-hued garments and shapes that erred on the frivolous. The shoot and its arresting imagery will have a fresh lease of life as part of Yvonne’s latest exhibition of the same name with Tauranga Art Gallery Toi O Tauranga. Renowned for combining her experience in commercial photography with portraits of mostly female models that marry Todd’s love of glamour and banality, the resulting collaboration with Viva created its own unique outcome, with Todd taking the sugary pastels of Personal Mythology as a departure point, and creating a companion photograph for the gallery’s stairwell. Personal Mythology is on at Tauranga Art Gallery Toi O Tauranga from February 25-May 14.

BOOK AHEAD

Have a buzzy experience

Here’s a sweet idea: you can learn all about how honey is made thanks to the Comvita Bee Experience. These fascinating and unique workshops are being run at Tāmaki Makaurau’s Victoria Park in collaboration with regenerative agriculture initiative For the Love of Bees, and attendees will learn all about these precious superorganisms, from how bees live and make their honey, to how they’ve evolved alongside flowers, to some hands-on learning from beekeeper Noelani Waters. While February 18 is all full, you can still book tickets ($20) for the March 4, March 25 and April 15 sessions — all are on Saturdays from 1-2pm.

Secure tickets to see The Corrs

This famous Irish family band is heading to Aotearoa as part of their ‘Down Under’ tour. Head along to Spark Arena in Tāmaki Makaurau on November 9, or Ōtautahi Christchurch’s lush Hagley Park on November 11 to hear hits like ‘Breathless’, ‘Runaway’ and ‘All the Love in the World’. And for an extra draw, Natalie Imbruglia is joining them, so you won’t be ‘torn’ about this decision. Get your tickets from One World Entertainment.

Get a taste of the Gold Coast

This event has a new date (Friday, March 10) and tickets are still available, so you can get a taste of this region’s famous food. Presented by Destination Gold Coast, in partnership with Viva, the three-course ticketed dinner ‘Taste of The Gold Coast’ sees Matt Jefferson, executive chef of Social Eating House and Bar — a Gold Coast casual-fine-dining restaurant that’s been impressing locals and visitors with its inventive, shareable dishes, seafood focus and stylish fit-out — team up with Joe O’Connell, executive chef for award-winning Grey Lynn restaurant Ozone, which is hosting the event. The menu will also be paired with cocktails from the region’s first craft distillery. Tickets are on sale now (attendees go in the draw to win a trip to the Gold Coast) and Viva Premium subscribers have the chance to win tickets to attend the March 10 event.