Monday, January 07, 2013

While we were sleeping


Who says nothing happens over the run up to Christmas? Impressively, Chris Saines landed the directorship of the Queensland Art Gallery (congratulations) • consensually, the popular choice award for the Walters Prize went to Sriwhana Spong (same) • surprisingly, Dane Mitchell shifted his tent from Starkwhite to Hopkinson Cundy • harshly, Peter McLeavey was informed he no longer represented Liz Maw or Andrew McLeod • doggedly, EyeContact published another 18 reviews and attracted up to 3000 visits a week • curiously, Te Papa conducted an online survey asking people if they have ever heard of the Aztecs and for marketing tips • pointedly, no-one from the visual arts appeared in the New Year’s honours list • curatorially, Te Papa announced it would be selecting a Warhol exhibition from the collection of the eponymous museum • fashionably, Francis Upritchard featured in British Vogue • remarkably, T J McNamara was still writing art reviews for the NZH and sadly (and a little pathetically on our part), unbeknownst to us while we were in Shanghai Neil Dawson was also in the city installing a public sculpture (Feather from Afar)