Standing Room Only for Sunday 11 August 2019

 

12:30  Problematic, Controversial, Racist: Discussing the art of Theo Schoon

Problematic. Controversial. Difficult. Racist. Words even the curators of the first substantial exhibition in decades of the late artist Theo Schoon use to describe his character. So why, in the face of protests, an exhibition now? And what do Maori then and now think of him?

We speak to Reuben Friend and Hamish Coney ahead of a weekend of talks at City Gallery Wellington as part of Split Level Viewfinder: Theo Schoon and New Zealand Art.  

 

1:10 At The Movies

 

1.30 Chris Parkin on giving to the arts

Arts patron, philanthropist and entrepeneur Chris Parkin, the man behind the $20,000 Parkin Drawing Prize (just announced) and a fabulous hotel art collection, who has just donated $1 million towards the planned national music centre in Civic Square Wellington, and recently donated $120000 towards strengthening arts crowdfunding platform Boosted.

Why give to the arts when the world is full of all sorts of urgent life and death causes?

 

1:45 Gafa Arts Collective - the Samoans in London with an opera about rugby

An opera about rugby sounds about as probable as, a Samoan performance group based in London. But they both together are true. R'Otello is part of London's new Opera in the City Festival and the work of the Gafa Arts Collective, which is now seven years old. We speak to Samoan artist Sani Muliaumsaeali'i.  

Gafa over their seven years have been prolific. This December they return with a Pasifika Messiah and Sani has recently completed a musical for the young Baba the Bad Baboon, initially released as an audiobook. The latter was inspired by their representation of Samoa at the Pacific Festival of the Arts in Guam in 2016, and learning of the plight of Tokelau in the face of climate change.  

Images from R'Otello by the Gafa Arts Collective.

 

2:06 The Laugh Track - Jesse Griffin

Today, sharing his favourite laugh tracks is the man behind comedy country music star Wilson Dixon and TVNZ current comedy The Educators, Jesse Griffin.

 

2:25  Aboard the Colin McCahon bus tour

If he was alive today Colin McCahon would be 100. We get on the McCahon bus – literally. As well as discussing the many events and exhibitions which form part of the McCahon100 celebrations and the new McCahon100 website with McCahon House director Vivienne Stone, we’re also joined by former mayor of Waitakere Bob Harvey, who used to ride the bus back from the Auckland CBD with Colin back in the late 1950s.  Bob is the guide for a McCahon’s Auckland bus tour next weekend.

 

2:40 Craig Cliff talks levitation   

Craig Cliff is our writer and the inspiration for our musical theme – levitation.

In Nailing Down the Saint, he asks, can people fly?

His protagonist, kiwi film-maker Duncan Blake, is following the trail of 17^th century Italian saint Joseph of Copertino - a 17th century levitator. We mention Craig Cliff's blog and interest music playlists in this item. Here it is.

 

2:49  Kākahu - Māori cloaks

Among the most beautiful and distinctive aspects of New Zealand culture are kākahu, Māori cloaks. They're created not only to adorn people, but to provide shelter and warmth, and to acknowledge their wearer's status.

This coming Friday, respected weavers from around the country will gather at Te Papa for a pohiri, to hui, provide public discussions, and wear the cloaks they've gifted to Aotearoa. Kākahu have been celebrated with the updating and republishing by Te Papa Press of a magnificent book on the subject. 

It's called Whatu Kakahu, and its editor Awhina Tamarapa tells us about it.

The activity at Te Papa in Te Marae (Rongomaraeroa) open to the public on Friday 16 August:

1.30pm – 2.30pm:  Panel discussion with Awhina Tamarapa and several weavers. Open to the public.

2.30pm – 4.00pm:  Weaving demonstrations by four groups of weavers. Open to the public. 

There will be a special display of contemporary cloaks from the Te Papa collection for the day on Te Marae. We understand that more than 100 weavers, many of them prominent, will attend the day’s celebrations.

 

3:06 Drama at 3

The Tutor by Dave Armstrong

Music played in this show

Artist: Opshop
Song: Levitate
Composer: Opshop
Album: You are here
Label: Siren
Played at: 12.34

Artist: Beach House
Song: Levitation
Composer: Legrand-Scally
Album: Depression Cherry
Label: N/A
Played at: 12.58

Artist: Hawkwind
Song: Levitation
Composer: Brock 
Album: Levitation
Label: Brinze
Played at: 1.07

Artist: Pixies
Song: Levitate me
Composer: Francis-Deal
Album: Come on pilgrim
Label: 4AD
Played at: 1.44

Artist: The South Tonight
Song: When I levitate
Composer: Kelcher
Album: Savoy
Label: N/A
Played at: 1.58

Artist: The Fall
Song: Levitate
Composer: Smith
Album: Levitate
Label: Artful 
Played at: 2.04

Artist: Kendrick Lamar
Song: Levitate
Composer: Yung Exclusive-Cardo
Album: Untitled-Unmastered
Label: Top Dawg
Played at: 2.36

Artist: 13th Floor Elevators
Song: Levitation
Composer: Erickson
Album: Easter Everywhere
Label: N/A
Played at: 2.58

Artist: Imagine Dragons
Song: Levitate
Composer: Sermon-Reynolds
Album: Evolve
Label: Interscope
Played at: 3.04

Artist: Greg Johnson Set
Song: Two feet off the ground
Composer: Johnson
Album: (single)
Label: Pagan
Played at: 3.58