CULTURE CLUB

THE ARTS IN OUR BUBBLES

Liam Stretch Culture Editor

When I wrote my editorial last month, I had no idea that we would be thrust into another lockdown, curtailing many of the events that were set to happen in this city. Some have postponed or have been indefinitely cancelled, but others have stayed the course and will be able to go ahead when their time comes.

Thanks to this nationwide order to stay in a proverbial bubble, I was seemingly provided with oodles of spare time, enough to present me with the perfect opportunity to catch up on some much-needed viewing, reading, and listening – all three at the same time if you count subtitles. It is, as usual, the arts we turn to when we need a distraction.

Without further ado, I invite you into my bubble. Please sanitise your hands on the way in and make sure you use the contact tracer app.

RAIDED AT DAWN

With the recent apology from Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in relation to the Dawn Raids, many may not understand the context. Stuff’s Once a Panther podcast breaks down the history of the Polynesian Panthers and their place in our nation’s history and New Zealand’s racist underbelly. The series covers Pacific migration to brutal crackdowns by the government, through to its relevance today. It is a harrowing listen but well worth the history lesson.

STRANGELY PERFECT

Based on the eponymous book by Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers is the psychological drama perfect for an escape from the norm. It has an excellently balanced cast, with Melissa McCarthy (known for Bridesmaids) stealing the show for me. It is refreshing to see her in a serious role while holding on to her signature wit. The Hulu original show is available in New Zealand on Amazon Prime Video.

NO HASSLE FOR THE HOFF

David Hasselhoff either drinks bucket loads of green tea or has spent a fortune on plastic surgery. I’m going to suggest it is the latter. The man does not age. Equally ageless seems to be his voice – we most certainly have the modern wonder of auto tune to thank for that – and he has returned to the song sphere with a cover of Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline. I mustn’t lie; this is what the kids call a ‘banger’. In the most simplest of terms, I love it.

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AXIS + AXES

Experimental works by Christchurch sculptor Graham Bennett are displayed alongside items from Canterbury Museum’s Pacific collection that have inspired him. For Bennett, the privilege of engaging with Pacific artefacts is to understand and honour them. His works pay tribute to the maker’s skill, energy, and artistic application. His latest work, Disrupt, on show for the first time, comprises 33 wooden axes made fragile by laser-cut perforations. Until 25 October 2021 canterburymuseum.com

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THEME ME UP SCOTTY

In celebration of 60 years of television in New Zealand, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra gives a concert performance of popular TV theme tunes across the six decades. Theme Me Up Scotty will be compered by New Zealand’s mum Suzy Cato, and the 50-piece orchestra will play tracks from M*A*S*H to Game of Thrones and Downtown Abbey, with many more in between. This is sure to be a hit for the whole family. 2 October, Christchurch Town Hall venuesotautahi.co.nz

GUY MONTGOMERY

Award-winning comedian Guy Montgomery takes to the road on a 19-stop tour across Aotearoa. His latest show, Guy Montgomery By Name, Guy Montgomery By Nature, is his seventh, and self-proclaimed best, solo stand-up show and will be available for comic-loving Canterbury audiences at the coolest little theatre in town, Little Andromeda. 13 October, Little Andromeda Theatre littleandromeda.co.nz

ACORN TV

We all have those cult classics that we can’t get enough of, and now there is a way to get them! For those after a Brit-fix, Acorn TV carefully curates a world-class library of captivating crime thrillers, addictive dramas, and intriguing mysteries, giving Kiwis instant access to their favourite British and international shows at the click of a mouse. There are some big Midsomer Murders fans on the Avenues team.

Sign up and stream online acorn.tv

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THE ART BEHIND THE MUSIC

Lovers of art and music are in for a treat with a slightly delayed appearance of Hellzapoppin’! The Art of Flying Nun at the reopened Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. The show marks the 40th anniversary of legendary Christchurch record label Flying Nun, exploring the art and artists behind the music. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the original debut in August was shifted to 17 September. The exhibition’s opening night – a live music gig – also couldn’t go ahead as originally planned and has been postponed to November.

“This exhibition is big, it’s colourful, and it’s fun – there’s original artwork and design, film, record covers, posters, and photography from some of New Zealand’s favourite bands,” says Blair Jackson, the gallery director.

“It’s unfortunate we had to cancel the original opening party last month, but we can assure people the exhibition brings a sense of energy all of its own. Flying Nun was a pivotal player in this period of Kiwi music history, and there’s a lot of creativity and weirdness to be explored here.”

Bands represented include Straitjacket Fits, Scorched Earth Policy, The Chills, Tall Dwarfs, The Bats, Pin Group, The 3Ds, the Verlaines, The Dead C, Look Blue Go Purple, The Gordons, The Terminals, and many others.

The artists who brought their music to visual life include Chris Knox, Lesley Maclean, Ronnie van Hout, Robert Scott, Alec Bathgate, John Halvorsen, John Collie, Jane Dodd, Martin Phillipps, and more.

Hellzapoppin’! The Art of Flying Nun is on at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū until 28 November.

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