new zealand 51

The best and worst of the Outsider Art Fair, which opened to the public Thursday night, seems to come down to clutter. There’s the material excess routinely spilling out of the booths, which sometimes feels captivating, like exposing the machinery of a live mind; and other times gratingly self-conscious, like those nouveau-old antique boutiques. This is a markedly subdued edition, at least compared to last year, but the issue stands. Since its start in 1993, the fair has become known for noise, but in this context, chaos can be equated with an outstanding imagination. It’s a consequence, I think, of the confusion over what constitutes authenticity in a market-first industry. Can it be simple? An individual either without access to, or regard for, social convention, whose artistic expression is indivisible from those circumstances—an artwork that inspires a sense of discovery. There are 66 exhibitors set up in Manhattan’s Metropolitan Pavilion through Sunday, and more than enough meet...

Following President Trump’s crackdown on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the Art Museum of the Americas has cancelled two exhibitions . The exhibition “Nature’s Wild with Andil Gosine” was set to be installed this week at the Art Museum of the Americas, which is part of the Organization of American States (OAS), but it was canceled without a stated cause earlier this month. The solo show was adapted from the artist’s 2021 book  Nature’s Wild: Love, Sex and Law in the Caribbean . The volume brought together topics of art, activism, and homosexuality in religion. “Nature’s Wild with Andil Gosine” was organized in collaboration with a dozen other artists and several writers. “For three years, I have imagined every centimeter of the three galleries for this work,” artist Andil Gosine told  Hyperallergic , which first reported the news. “The work was made for that space.” It is unclear why the exhibition was canceled, but the General Secretariat of the OAS...

The Northern United and Wainuiomata squads are playing at Mana College in their first matches of the new season tomorrow.  Three Hurricanes teams playing and some pre-season club rugby is what is in store tomorrow in the Wellington region. Including tomorrow, there are five weekends remaining until the start of the Premier and Premier 2...

In a show of support for Los Angeles galleries impacted by recent wildfires, Crozier Fine Arts has pledged to cover shipping costs for six exhibitors traveling to the Independent Art Fair in New York this May. The initiative, announced in partnership with Independent, will allow Night Gallery, Chris Sharp Gallery, Sea View, Vielmetter Los Angeles, Michael Kohn Gallery, and Diane Rosenstein Gallery to transport works to the fair free of charge. In a press release, Independent founder Elizabeth Dee emphasized the significance of Los Angeles in this year’s edition, calling it a “cornerstone of artistic production and curatorial expertise.” The initiative stemmed from conversations between Dee and Crozier executives, who together recognized the financial strain on LA-based exhibitors and the importance of access to the New York market. Crozier, which has served as Independent’s lead sponsor since 2020, has previously partnered with the fair on climate-conscious shipping solutions. Thi...

Editor’s Note:  This story originally appeared in  On Balance ,  the ARTnews  newsletter about the art market and beyond.  Sign up here   to receive it every Wednesday. The wealthy appear to be forsaking the UK in droves, and newly initiated tax rules don’t appear to be helping. Several art dealers and advisers told  ARTnews  they are worried about how those rules will impact the country’s art market and whether it will push more collectors to take their art-buying elsewhere. While Brexit may have started the exodus, the current Labour government’s scrapping of non-domicile tax rules is taking the most heat. Last October, Labour  announced in its budget  that the UK’s current rules for non-doms, or UK residents whose permanent home is outside the country for tax purposes, would be abolished. The new rules, set to go into effect in April, will require all UK residents to pay tax on income, regardless of where they earned it. The UK Tr...

Ma’a Nonu’s playing career is still alive and well. The 42-year old Oriental-Rongotai midfielder, once dubbed the Miramar Miracle, will soon be winging is way to the south of France to hook up with leading Top 14 side Toulon as a medical joker. Toulon, who Nonu has played with twice before, is still in top...

Ken Gray playing against Ireland in 1963. By Adam Julian The mystery began in 2019. Keryn Martin and Logan Ainsworth were preparing the walls of the Paremata-Plimmerton Rugby clubrooms for a significant refurbishment when they removed eight framed jerseys. Seven of them bore the inscription “Presented by K Gray” and another black jersey was simply...

A nonprofit overseeing Manhattan’s Elizabeth Street Garden is suing New York City, arguing that the coveted public space qualifies for legal protection art under the Visual Artists Rights Act (VARA) of 1990. The lawsuit, filed early this month by the garden’s director Joseph Reiver, is seeking to block the city’s plan to replace the garden with affordable housing, describing the Soho site as a “social sculpture.” Reiver’s father, the late gallerist Allan Reiver, began transforming the then-abandoned lot thirty years ago into a community space, and eventual sculpture garden. Now, Joseph Reiver contends that the garden should be shielded from destruction under the 1990 law, which is mean to protect works of “recognized stature” from being intentionally destroyed during redevelopments. The lawsuit follows contradicting legal precedents. In 2018, a judge awarded $6.75 million to street artists after developers whitewashed murals at Queens’ 5Pointz. Yet VARA’s reach has limits: Artist Ma...

Solomon Islands airlines have added a weekly direct flight from Auckland to Brisbane to its network. The flight kicked off last Friday where Solomon Airlines departs every Friday at 6.00am NZDT, arriving in Brisbane at 6.45am AEST, allowing for a full day of work or easy transfer to other flights. Solomon Airlines also offers same-day flights from Brisbane to Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara, and Munda in the Western Province, making for a same-day connection between Auckland and Solomon Islands. A return flight from Brisbane to Auckland is set to depart each Friday at 6.25pm AEST, with scheduled arrival at 12.30am NZDT on Saturdays. Solomon Airlines also flies from Auckland to Port Vila, Vanuatu, twice a week on Tuesday and Saturday. The new weekly service not only adds to seat availability on the trans-Tasman but with two onward connections through to the Solomon Islands, the option of same-day travel for seasonal workers. John Wopereis, Commercial Manager at Solomon Airlines ...

In association with Hurricanes statistics compiler Peter Marriott, the Stat Attack returns in 2025. Starting the new season, the Hurricanes played their 408th and 409th Super Rugby competition matches against the Crusaders in Christchurch and the Fijian Drua in Napier. Facts and figures from both matches (starting with the most recent one) below. Round 2...

The Hurricanes Poua’s Monica Tagoai takes on Matatu midfielder Grace Brooker in their pre-season fixture at NZCIS on Saturday. Super Rugby Aupiki starts this coming Saturday.  Monday morning edition: Welcome to the last week of the summer season. Rugby starts in Wellington this coming Saturday. Small steps at first, but it is only going to...

A German federal court recently decided that Birkenstocks cannot be considered art, since they are just comfortable, popular footwear made of cork. After years of litigation, Germany’s Federal Court of Justice dismissed the intellectual property case against Birkenstock, which is especially known for its Arizona sandal, featuring wide-straps and large buckles. The court’s ruling stated that a product can not be copyrighted if “technical requirements, rules or other constraints determine the design.” Birkenstock, which is headquartered in Linz am Rhein in western Germany, filed a lawsuit against three competitors, arguing that they sold similar styles of sandals to four signature models. These models, Birkenstock said, are “copyright-protected works of applied art” that could not be copied. Under German law , works of fine art are granted stronger intellectual property protections compared to the design or “applied art” of consumer products. The lawyers representing Birkenstock arg...

North America’s first and only Leonardo da Vinci Museum is opening in Pueblo, Colorado later this fall. The museum will feature interactive exhibitions and life-sized replicas based on da Vinci’s drawings and sketches. It’s approach will center on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) as an educational guide to problem solving. The former Professional Bull Riders Center near the Historic Arkansas Riverwalk will become the new home of the Leonardo da Vinci Museum of North America, accompanied by an outdoor cafe. Plans for the new institution were granted final approval by the Colorado Economic Development Commission. “This approval allows us to move forward with our plans to create an interactive and educational experience that celebrates the genius of Leonardo da Vinci,” Joe Arrigo, the board chair of the Southern Colorado Science Center, told the Colorado Springs Gazette . “We believe this museum will be a transformative addition to the Pueblo community in...

The Louvre’s first fashion exhibition — titled “Louvre Couture: Art and  Fashion  — Statement Pieces”  and on display through July 21  — highlights the fact that museums make marvelous mood boards, and provide inspiration galore. To wit: WWD Weekend asked an array of designers during the recent menswear and couture shows in Europe to name their favorite museum in the world, revealing a mix of famous institutions and many lesser-known gems: Giorgio Armani “There are two places that hold a special place in my heart. One is in my hometown of Milan. It is the Pinacoteca di Brera, built by Piermarini and located in the Palazzo di Brera, that also hosts the Botanical Garden, the Astronomical Observatory and the Academy of Fine Arts. It is home to masterpieces by great painters such as Caravaggio, Tintoretto, Raffaello, Mantegna and Piero della Francesca, as well as Hayez’s iconic ‘The Kiss.’ The Pinacoteca and its treasures are my neighbors in an area that preserves th...

Artist Khaled Sabsabi will not be reinstated as the Australian representative at the 2026 Venice Biennale. He was dropped as the country’s representative earlier this month alongside curator Michael Dagostino, spurring an international controversy. The chair of Creative Australia, Robert Morgan, and its executive director, Adrian Collette, announced the decision in an all-staff meeting on Thursday, per the Guardian . Creative Australia is the government’s leading arts advisory body and oversees its Venice pavilion, which last year won the Golden Lion with Archie Moore’s kith and kin . Thousands of other artists had signed a petition calling for the reinstatement of Sabsabi and Dagostino, whose nominations were revoked on February 13, only days after its public announcement. The controversy started after the  Australian  newspaper published criticism of Sabsabi’s 2007 video installation, You , which features the late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The writer claimed that...

Cam Roigard gets his pass away for the Hurricanes against the Blues in their pre-season match a fortnight ago. By Kevin McCarthy One and not done. The Hurricanes committed the cardinal sin of losing their first match and missing out on a bonus point while doing so. And against last year’s cellar dwellers, the Crusaders....

An ongoing controversy over the holdings of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, the organization that oversees masterworks shown by Munich museums such as the Alte Pinakothek and the Museum Brandhorst, reached new heights this week after a bombshell report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung . That German publication reported earlier this week that the Bavarian State Painting Collections currently holds nearly 200 works that were looted by the Nazis—and that it had never revealed this to the general public or to heirs seeking the return of certain pieces. The Süddeutsche Zeitung report has raised concern among German politicians, even though representatives for the Bavarian State Painting Collections disputed aspects of it. The Süddeutsche Zeitung article was based on an internal document from 2020. That document reportedly listed eight works once owned by Alfred Flechtheim, a Jewish dealer based in Germany who was persecuted by the Nazis. In response to the report, Claudia Roth, th...

In a new series for the first part of 2025 on social media and on this website, we are highlighting players to have played professional rugby – many international rugby – who have largely come through club rugby and mostly not played in NZ school or age grade teams along the way. The series goes...

On 28 January 2025, Vanguard held its 11th annual C4ISR and Beyond conference in Ottawa with a theme of “Building Trust in Developing Decision Advantage”. The day-long conference was hosted live with over 320 people in attendance plus simultaneously streamed to another 85 virtual attendees from government and industry.  The conference opened with LGen (Ret’d) Michael Rouleau. He shared how last year’s theme on interoperability and integration would continue, and that this year’s conference would focus on geostrategic and national developments. Discussions included the Our North Strong and Free (ONSAF) policy, subtle shifts in warfare, and the evolving role of industry in supporting CAF/DND through more open and innovative approaches. It also examined strategies for modernizing our partner and threat ecosystems to ensure that the CAF remains strong and increasingly relevant.  LGen Stephen Kelsey, the Vice Chief of Defence Staff was opening keynote speaker. He reflected on 30 ...

There are Black people in the future.” In 2017, contemporary visual artist Alisha B. Wormsley began placing those words on billboards across the country in cities including Pittsburgh, Detroit, Charlotte, New York City, Kansas City, and Houston. According to Wormsley, the phrase started out as a “Black nerd sci-fi joke.” But after her billboard was removed in Pittsburgh for being interpreted as divisive, it became clear that a perspective that imagines and includes Black people in futuristic narratives was needed. Related Articles Set Piece: Sandra Mujinga at The Approach Future Perfect: Flux Factory's Intersectional Approach to Technology Enter Afrofuturism, a cultural movement now having a rebirth, empowering a people about whom degrading narratives have been disseminated for centuries. These derogatory narratives are so engrained in American culture that we all lived with them even on household products; the images of Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben, for instanc...

Wellington Academy first-five Thompson Tukapua lines up a conversion on Saturday. This is our regular Monday morning news and happenings column. It is a collaborative effort, so to contribute please get in touch. Our content remains sparse and patchy, but that is because it is still mid-February! +++++ As for rugby coming up this weekend...

Roman and Williams, the design studio and hospitality group behind Soho’s Le Mercerie, will partner with auction house Sotheby’s to open a yet-to-be-named fine dining restaurant in the Breuer Building. In 2023, Sotheby’s  announced it would make  the storied Brutalist building at 945 Madison Avenue its new headquarters. The building, once the long-time home of the Whitney Museum of American Art, was officially sold to Sotheby’s for $100 million late last year , shortly after the house closed a  $1 billion investment deal  with the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ. Le Mercerie, with its open kitchen, elegant design, and impeccable French menu has become a Soho staple since it opened in 2018. In 2023, the restaurant was listed on the New York Times   Best 100 Restaurants  list and, last year, it was one of seven restaurants listed as the “Best Restaurants to See and Be Seen in New York City” by the  Michelin Guide . The new restaurant will likely ...

Mel Bochner, a conceptual artist who incisively explored the slippery relationship between language and art, died on February 12 at 84. His death was announced on Friday by three of his galleries, Fraenkel, Marc Selwyn Fine Art, and Peter Freeman Inc. Bochner was one of the key artists associated with the Conceptualist movement during the 1960s and ’70s. In legendary pieces that hardly looked much like art at all, he offered measurements, numbers, words, and others’ photocopied drawings within galleries. There was often little to admire, and that was intentional—Bochner wanted viewers to think of art as being more than something to see. While these works earned Bochner a critical following, his audience would grow dramatically with his paintings filled with stenciled words, many of which didn’t connote much. The word “BLAH” recurred frequently in these mordantly funny works, which showcased the limits of language. One sentence appeared constantly, both in the early conceptual works...