Day for night

So much for our clever Night Watch segue. One of our readers, Boris, has put us right, explaining that the film by Timur Bekmambetov is actually called Dnevnoy Dozor or, in English, Day Watch. Kindly, Boris also mentioned that Rembrandt’s Night Watch is not actually a night scene, as you will have discovered if you followed the know-it-all link. Thanks for letting us off the hook Boris. At least we managed to avoid calling it Bay Watch, which is something.

Image: Rembrandt’s Bay Watch represented at the Hollywood Wax Museum. From one of our favourite sites, Roadsideamerica.com.

Whew!

What a relief. You'll all be relieved to hear that the 500 PhDs per year are for all faculties at Auckland University, and not just the arts sector. We've asked Robyn Hill, Faculty Manager of the National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries, how many of those will be PhDs-who-make-art. We'll keep you posted.

Object lesson

The Art+Object auction pulled new buyers out and got good prices. Michael Parekowhai’s guitar Tua Iwa sold for $35,000, one of his sparrow photographs Portrait of Ed Brown at $15,000 and a light box from the Bosom of Abraham series for nearly $2000 above the top estimate at $6300. A small Ronnie van Hout model work of Colin McCahon sold at its top estimate of $9000 and a stitch picture Guitarist looking for.. at $45000*. Top of estimate prices were recorded for Judy Millar, Seung Yui Oh, John Reynolds, Heather Straka and Stephen Bambury, Other high prices: an et al. at $4000 almost four times its selling price in 2005 and a Len Castle/Theo Schoon collaboration at $6700. Also getting very respectable prices near top estimates were Rohan Wealleans, Seraphine Pick and Ricky Swallow. Surprise of the night Sam Mitchell’s Hey arsehole at $4000.
*A reader has disputed the figure of $45,000 being paid for the stitch picture Guitarist looking for.. by Ronie van Hout. He has a point and here it is put into the right place $4,500.00. Sorry for any hopes raised.

Found – Christopher Johnstone

In all fairness, Christopher Johnstone was never really lost. He tells us that since he resigned as director of the Auckland Art Gallery he has been an art writer, consultant and has organised exhibitions including Lee Miller’s War for Monash University and the Auckland Museum. His book Landscape Painting of New Zealand: A Journey from North to South was published this year by Random House has just been reprinted.