Reports From The Fringe

By Lissa Mitchell

RoTRaction - Adam Art Gallery, 26 Feburary, 7pm. review: Lissa Mitchell

With an interest in 1970s post-object art, it seemed only natural that Auckland based RoTAction used the Adam's unconventional barrier to McCahon's "Gate III" as a sound device. Stick-weilding musicians lead the audience through the gallery from top to bottom - light into darkness. With influences like John Cage, From Scratch and the Tokanui Possum Pickers, instruments were made of items found in the back shed on any respectable 1/4-acre - pine, tin and no. 8 wire. If you missed this postmodern gem, get in touch with their roots - From Scratch performing Harmonic Canon at the Adam Art Gallery, 3 March at 8pm and 4 March at 8pm and 10 pm.

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C'est Impossible - Arlo Edwards - Zeal, 50 Victoria Street, until 11 March, 1-6 pm. review: Lissa Mitchell

Tucked away in the top of the new youth venue in town - Zeal - is Arlo Edward's show "C'est Impossible". As I entered the space I was warmly greeted by the artist, whose willingness to stick around and promote and discuss his work makes a welcome change. Edwards uses old comics - Superman, Hulk - to make individual images that are long and narrow in shape, in the style of a comic strip. Likewise, inside the frame, the image is broken down into individual segments. The comic format suggests a narrative but the visual style of the images provides the most continuity. The one exception is Rayogram, a print that is interesting for its luminosity in spite of its ordinary subject matter. Addressing one of the show's many stated themes - light and the photographic process - this work is one of the most resolved pieces in the show. If you are interested in comic culture then this is right up your alley. However, a lot is going on - ideas are bouncing all over the place. A sharper focus would increase the impact of the show. Nevertheless, it is energetic, busy and fun.

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ENDS

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