White Fungus Issue 5 Now in Stores

January 2006

New Wellington-based experimental arts magazine “White Fungus” is now on sale at locations throughout New Zealand.

The magazine first began as a one-off publication during the 2004 local body elections to protest against Wellington’s inner-city bypass and the treatment of the arts community by the council.

It has since evolved into a broad arts magazine covering the experimental arts in New Zealand and beyond.

Current issue includes articles on Auckland-based Korean artist Hye Rim Lee and Christchurch painter William Dunning, as well as creative writing from Melbourne-based Oakland artist Aaron Coyes and a photo essay by Wellington’s Louise Clifton.

Inspiration for the magazine began in Taiwan where three of its creators – editor Ron Hanson, designer Mark Hanson and music editor Rowan Laing – spent four years living, teaching, learning Chinese and taking in the chaotic urban environment.

Editor Ron Hanson says: “Living in Taiwan gave us a kind of freedom to experiment, experience new things and develop a new perspective on where we came from. It pushed us to the limit and stretched our ideas on the world.”

After getting a strong reaction to the first issue the team – which includes designer Carla Schollum – decided to continue developing the magazine.

Now it is on sale for the first time at bookstores Unity, Parsons (Auckland) and University Book Store. It is also sold at art galleries Govett-Brewster and Adam Art Gallery, as well as a number of small independent businesses including hairdressers, clothing stores and a bicycle shop.

White Fungus has been described by Pavement as a “multi-media / multi interest subculture manifesto….absent of hierarchy, radical in its conception and open to every new artistic challenge.”

ENDS

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