Light show simply magic

Mike: Before leaving for a long weekend in Auckland, I trawled through the AWA magazine to see what I would be missing in Whanganui. I found six events, including two concerts, which I would have attended. There's always so much to do in our city. Anyway, we had to settle for a change of venue, and I must say it was well worth it.
Friday was a visit to the art gallery. Attempting to describe, in writing, any art form, can be difficult, and this was definitely the case with Light Show on at Toi o Tamaki. Originating from the Hayward Gallery in London, the exhibition features works by 18 artists from around the world, which demonstrate "different ways artists have created art with light from the 1960s onwards".
Carlos Cruz-Diez' Chromosaturation is situated in an area roughly divided by partitions into three separate rooms. In each of these, neon tubes, hanging from the ceiling, produce red, green and blue light, the eye perceiving all three as individual entities. Entering the room was a strange experience, my eyes adjusting with difficulty to the unusual colouration. The artist commented; "Since the retina usually perceives a wide range of colours simultaneously, experiencing these monochromatic situations causes visual disturbances". It certainly did!
S=U=P=E=R=S=T=R=U=C=T=U=R=E (Cerith Wyn Evans) consists of three heat-emitting columns, from floor to ceiling, with pulsing light, which resemble the "invisible rhythms of the human body and produce a spectral, otherworldly atmosphere". The descriptor for the work came from "occult messages transmitted by spirit voices during seances". Well ... ! Weird as those words may be, the work itself was fascinating.
Leo Villareal's Cylinder II contains almost 20,000 LED lights, constantly fluctuating and never repeating the sequence. Dangling from the roof, on more than 100 rods, lights twinkled and flickered, a veritable feast for the imagination. The notes state that he is one of several artists who "explore how artificial illumination can conjure aspects of the material world", words which actually made sense to me, in contrast to most descriptions. They continue by suggesting that the display could be "meteor showers, fireworks, falling snow, ... clouds of swarming fireflies ...". Joan, however, reverted to the imaginary, seeing only Tinkerbell!
Absolutely fascinating was Slow Arc inside a Cube, by Conrad Shawcross, playing with moving light and shadows. The cube is about one metre in size, made of meshed wire, with a pointer balanced on a fulcrum. As the pointer circles and dips, the shadows of the mesh increase or decrease in size, swing sideways or move up and down, creating an unstable Big Dipper feeling in the viewer. We all thought the ground was in motion beneath our feet. An oddly unreal experience. Shawcross likens the effect to the cave in Plato's Republic, which formulated "the idea that visible reality is only a small crumb of what's really out there".
The most unbelievable was the final item, where, in a darkened room, the wall facing the entrance was dimly lit, revealing 27 beautiful crystal garlands and festoons of ice. Or so it appeared! Model for a Timeless Garden was created by Olafur Eliasson, using strobe lights and water, the lighting giving the "frozen" effect. We were encouraged to touch these "solid" objects, and they were indeed water. Quite amazing! The exhibition continues until late February. If you are in Auckland during the next couple of months, don't miss it! It is (almost) literally "magic".
Joan: I went down to Wellington in 2009 to see WOW, the Wearable Arts Show and was stunned by its artistry and the costumes created. Auckland Museum has on view some of the winning garments from over the past 12 years. It is great to be able to see the artists' work close up and realise the creativity and workmanship that has gone into them.They are presented in a large, undulating area, beautifully lit with full detail of their maker/designer, materials - which vary from iron to wood via textiles of all kinds and shapes - and informationabout purpose and awards won alongside. Three large screens in the neighbouring room show varying video clips of parts of the shows in which these costumes featured and give the viewer the chance to see how amazing they were in the context of this fantastic concept which has grown each year in scope, ingenuity and audience numbers.
Joan: Last week it was pleasing to receive the brochure put out by the Whanganui Summer Programme Trust telling of the many talks and excursions available to us in and around our region over the summer months. I would honour this with the title "The Perfect Brochure". It is clearly written, grammar-mistake free, well divided into sections but, most of all, brings to anyone reading it absolutely every detail of information to enable people to know what the event is, where it is, or where it leaves from and gets back to, means of travel, what it is necessary to take and to be able to be involved with. It gives cost, timing, where to book and how to book. It gives background on who will lead the outing or give the talk and why they are qualified to do so. It is excellent in every way. My sincere gratitude and congratulations to Wendy Pettigrew and all concerned.
Joan: The Auckland Theatre Company's production of Jesus Christ Superstar at Auckland's Q Theatre is dynamic. The seating in their versatile auditorium is raked high on four sides allowing for a centre area, intimate and challenging and complemented by raised walkways in among the audience to bring the action even closer. The small, quite brilliant orchestra is placed above one side of the seating and the amazing lighting plot is added to by "spots" operated among the audience. I have always thought this to be Webber and Rice's best work. The lyrics are clever and haunting and indeed, challenging. Director Oliver Driver has brought the 1970s musical into this decade with both the choice of actors and their rendition of this well-known music. The pace is beautifully varied and the costumes reflect the characters so well. Judas has a most thrilling "rock voice" and Jesus a controlled range that is haunting and confronting. I cannot recommend this production enough. The scourging of Christ becomes almost too hard to watch, the crucified superstar being raised on his cross high above us and out of sight is quite extraordinary. There is need for the exhilarating finale where cast and audience sing in mutual recognition of a special happening. I am so lucky to have seen this show.
¦Comments and suggestions to mjstreet@xtra.co.nz