Auckland Zinefest - 2 August

Self-published magazines expressing anything from the author’s creativity to their political leanings will be available en masse at Auckland Zinefest being held in St Kevin’s Arcade this week.  A non-profit community event the festival offers a zine market, zine-making workshops as well as an exhibition of Auckland City Library’s zine collection.

Underground comics, poetry journals and recycled books elaborately hand cut to produce layered art works are just some of the publication styles on offer.   A total of 30 stall holders will be participating on the night with DJ’s Rose Quartz providing ambient background sounds.  The festival combines with K’ Road’s late-night art event First Thursdays, providing a natural fit with it’s August theme of DIY. 

Photo Bryce Galloway
What: Auckland Zinefest

Where: St Kevin’s Arcade, 179 K’ Road

When: Thursday 2 August, 6-9pm

Late Night Art on K’ Road

                                         Photo: Copyright Patric Seng 

K’ Road’s late night art festival First Thursdays, just gets better.  With 25 venues, including galleries, cafes and performance spaces participating across the length of the street next month on 2 August, attendees are promised a sensual extravaganza.

Taking pride of place in St Kevin’s Arcade will be the Auckland Zinefest – a market where self- published small magazines are exhibited for sale.   A few doors down the road at the Bizdojo Makerspace, a workshop covering the A-Z of zine making will be in progress.

Across the road in K’ Road’s Ironbank complex, local community group Tangleball will be demonstrating what a combination of a few old bike parts and a bit of creativity can produce at their Bike Rodeo display.

Moving eastward to the top of Queen St and the steps of the Auckland Baptist Tabernacle a series of light projections onto the façade of this towering Roman-inspired building will be awing spectators.

Foxes craft market will be firing up in their new location at Cross St Arcade (a.k.a. the walkway to the K’ Road car park at 214 K Road) while a fleet of tuk tuks will be available to ferry people between the plethora of photographic and art exhibitions being staged in the precinct’s galleries.

Watch out for pop-up fashion shows and a meandering art bike tour to boot.  For the full programme of First Thursdays – DIY Edition visit http://kroad.com/2_Events/200_EVENTS.htm

Sound Festival and Book Launch 10– 12 Aug 2012

Sound art – the practice of experimenting with the ways we create sound – is a well-established art in New Zealand, according to director of The Audio Foundation, Zoe Drayton.  But while our experimental artists are much admired internationally, she says, ‘in New Zealand itself, sound art is not so well known.’

It’s a situation The Audio Foundation hopes to remedy next month with the launch of ‘Erewhon Calling’ – a publication which aims to provide an overview of the range of New Zealand experimental sound on offer.  The book collates input from 41 fringe artists, who describe their work and goals through a collection of interviews, articles, drawings, collage and embroidery.

And in celebration of this ground breaking launch, The Audio Foundation is holding a three-day event, entitled the Now! Here! Festival, which invites members of the public along to band performances, sound walks, children’s workshops and film screenings, for an opportunity to extend their listening skills.   Mongolian Khoomei, or throat singing, the opportunity for children to play an amplified instrument in a real venue and a guided tour through the sounds of the CBD are among the extensive programme of events scheduled.   ‘It’ll be an interesting and enlightening experience for people,” says Zoe. The Now! Here! Festival is sponsored by Arts Live, Creative Communities and the K’ Road Business Association. www.audiofoundation.org.nz

Rare Book Bonanza

Signed photographs of Britain’s war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill and New Zealand aviatrix Jean Batten are among items included in the rare book collection up for auction on Wednesday 11 July 2012 at Art and Object.

‘It’s a rare collection,’ says Art and Object book consultant Pam Plumbly, and because of the inclusion of Churchill-related items, ‘we’re expecting a lot of overseas interest.  ‘Although rare book collecting is a niche market, she says, ‘it’s also a strong one.’  Institutions such as The University of Auckland, Auckland Museum and the Alexander Turnbull Library have been amongst parties showing interest in past collections, along with individual collectors.  ‘People tend to collect in various categories such as natural history, Maori wars, military and nautical,’ says Pam. 

The items will be available for viewing in the week leading up to the auction and gloves are not a requirement for closer inspection.  While some experts favour this practice, Pam believes freshly washed hands are sufficient.   To ensure the preservation of these heritage items, it’s advised buyers keep them in dry conditions away from sunlight and preferably behind glass – actions which work to avoid the appearance of little brown marks or ‘foxing’