That was then

In september we: got unduly excited at te papa changing its photo policy • raved about the kentridge exhibition at the city gallery • wondered when the hell the te papa north thing would get off the ground • added some new faces to otn/studio • loved the hang of hotere’s airport mural • followed the shake-up at webb’s • went to see the walters prize • questioned numbers through the door as a measurement for art museums • showed flagging interest in the koru • visited Fiona conner’s studio • gave it up for luke willis thompson • reported jenny gibbs walking out the venice patrons after all those years • stuttered in indignation at the Auckland art gallery sound system

ten down two to go

in october we announced simon denny as the next Venice artists • were first with the news that another simon (simon rees) was going to get the govett-brewster directorship • discovered the frame detective • got drawn into the naked thing • found globe in Tokyo • promoted promoting prosperity • oohed and aahed about billy apple • had our hearts stopped by a great work of art in a great work of architecture • got the low down on ches and dale and dick • found out how much the girls love the boys • wondered how te papa was ever going to change and were surprised at only one nz artists being selected for the biennale of sydney

September song

In September we: found Snoop Dogg • sang Te Papa’s praises • gave you the good oil on human statues • watched movies from the art fair • got shaken and stirred in Wellington • found that damn Rinso packet • put some cash down on the bull’s nose • demonstrated that our new series of business people standing in front of art wasn’t just a flash-in-the-pan • mulled over how photography was doing at auction • took the NZ Herald to task over its land grab for Te Papa • wondered why Ilam art school was getting such a hard time • spammed you again and peered at Len Lye’s hole
Image: Tony Bennett

In February we...

 
puzzled over te papa’s idea of what’s radical • loved this neat modely thing that’s going to shape the venice biennale • predicted simon denny will be in the venice biennale exhibition • passed on the good oil about online shopping artwise • put up an all woman team for the aag director race • went all soapy and breathless over institutional staff shifts and changes • discovered some art in an ammo dump • caused a fuss just by looking sideways at the dealers • suggested a shopping spree • visited joe sheehan • pondered on the fate of sue crockford’s artists • remembered ralph and promoted pippin barr’s latest video game

elevenses

In november we: wondered how the hell te papa and the city gallery managed to spend $600,000 on oceania • came up empty when we looked for art related election promises • became depressed at the old-guy selection for venice • drummed up a cricket team • pondered the future of art publishing • revisited rudi gopas • worried about where to send the kids to art school and nearly scooped the announcement of michael parekowhai’s brisbane commission (nice one lara)

This month was brought to you by the number 8

in october we: said goodbye to len castle • whinged about paying ten bucks to see te papa’s permanent collection • held a worst on display competition with ourselves • took us to the movies • coloured us mccahon • cooked the books • created a decision tree on the venice biennial selection • made fools of ourselves picking the wrong doge • went and done the headless chicken thing

Nine months on

In september we tried to unravel the private from the public at the city gallery • offered up ways to save money at te papa • cleverly made x stand for don’t touch in our alphabet • announced auckland the queen city of roadside art • worried about friends in christchurch • moaned about cnz giving all the ding to institutions (again – us moaning that is) • said goodbye to greg flint • welcomed the return of flares • appealed to the auckland art gallery to give michael stevenson a break • named an art precinct and reported on the return of selwyn muru’s gate

Eight down four to go

in august we: fretted over auckland's new gallery • cemented our relationship with fiona • told you more about the da vinci code than you needed to know • moaned about shelling out in auckland • looked at the cnz cake slice-wise • kept on keeping on publishing our son’s sharp observations • answered a survey • got you all painting pollocks • chased up carrot top in the movies and finally put the mccahon database debacle to bed.

The score

in october we: pointed at the porcelain • counted dealers • lusted for life • constructed a word cloud for cnz • worried about the warrior • put up our best post title ever • announced fake paintings were on the water • used dali and a rhino as off-course substitutes

In July…

… we rode a bike through a Serra • wondered about Te Papa flogging the family jewels • saw some heavy art in Berlin • marvelled at the number of curators involved in the next Venice Biennale • found more Newmans than we counted on • recalled fond memories of Dan Graham • found a cheap way to buy a Jeff Koons prototype • thanked the Creative NZ Chair for his unfailing support of the visual arts (not) and discovered the lunatics had taken over the asylum
Image: Marlon Brando, who died 1 July 04, playing the guy the month’s named after