Log Illustrated - a publication from the Physics RoomLog 11 - Lest we forget
Log 11 - Lest we forget

Dunedin
Heff Henderson

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The past few months in Dunedin have been interesting times indeed. With an ample supply of scandals, low blows and mud slinging, the atmosphere has been highly amusing, although due to the temperament of certain individuals involved, details shall have to be limited’

Currently on offer at the Blue Oyster is Margaret Robert’s show Straight Lines, which centres around a large white wall-like structure that takes up a large diamond-like portion of the floor space. Filling out the rest of the space is a video shown on two screens of the train ride down to Dunedin to represent motion within the space or some fancy-pants thing like that... The opening itself enjoyed a definite benefit from the abundant sponsorship and drew its fare share of blatant moochers who made clear their intentions by only leaving their positions at the food table long enough to make the trip to the beverages table. Before fighting their way back to the food table. The artist was heard to say she hadn’t seen such blatant scavenging since her last trip to the tip’

In other areas, the scene has been graced by the presence of the CGC’s latest offering to the public: Soft Metal masters Outlaw Streak. Already a crowd favourite, the lineup includes Ho’Dog K. Morehu, ‘Lord of the Song’ Steve Carr, and original members Gerald Stewart and CGC Playboy Daniel Canada.

With only two gigs under their belt under the new lineup, the lads have already became the people’s favourite and the ladies choice, with all four members receiving ultimatims from their respective (female) partners: "us or the band". Originally a hair metal covers band from Timaru, the reunion made in heaven of Outlaw Streak was brought about by several threats from both original members falling on deaf ears. Deciding enough was enough, D. Canada drew on his resources from within the CGC to access Morehu from the Ho’ Dogs and Steve Carr who in Canada’s word "owed me a favour".

The Ho’Dogs have been keeping it fairly quiet so far this year but with the recent procurement of a sponsorship from Bulls Eye Beer, the lads are about to make some big noise on the public front any week now. With former singer Tim Doe departed for a teaching career in Japan, hollering duties have fallen on the shoulders of CGC thug, Daniel Canada. The move sees the band heading in a more stripped down, built-for-speed format, bolstered by the lack of the former singer’s self-obsessed pretty-boy antics.

Local art honcho Warren Olds has temporarily moved to Ham Town to investigate employment opportunities up North’ The move has been long anticipated, but the loss of Dunedin’s most mysterious art sex symbol has left many of the local ladies shaking in their boots and wondering about what could’ve been’

Just recently Sean Kerr brought his show Abuser down to the Blue Oyster. I missed the opening, but it was a visually pleasant show to see, utilising the space in a fair fashion. Through the use of a pressure plate concealed under a doormat, punters were greeted by samples stored on a computer sitting near the door. Not for the light hearted, the show was based around slogans painted in red paint and what looked like some sort of glow in the dark pen’ A lot of viewers found the subject matter uncomfortable, perhaps a manifestation of Kerr’s own inner conflict. The mail out provided a source of amusement through the typo on the fancy flier whereby the show received the new catchy title of ‘Absurer’, which drew the wrath of new art critic Terry Corkeren amongst others.

The Community Gallery has been measuring up to its usual high standards, providing shows by a constant stream of unmeasurables giving us crap show after crap show. As an example, over the last few weeks, we’ve had a "Winter Festival" show, where all the hippies dragged out the sad, limp corpse that is the Super 8 collective. I didn’t look too carefully (didn’t want to be overcome by the frangipani) but I’m pretty sure there was some Donna Demente papier mâché in there and not even $2 Shop Black Pussy can mask that sort of stink! And how else do you follow up such a fine show but with’ Crystal Light! I haven’t made my way into that one yet but I’ve got a charka that needs seeing to so maybe next time’

To wind up, I’ll make a quick mention of the DPAG Rear Window space, which opened with Steve Carr’s Zen Stix 2000 show on the 30th of June as its first installation. Curated by Justin Paton, the space offers a good opportunity to display works to the public in the business area without having to leave the street - an initiative that shows plenty of promise.

And that’s all the action, goss or otherwise that I’ve encountered that’s fit to print,

Heff Henderson signing out.

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