Art

Organised Art

Gap Filler
Gap Filler came into being following the September earthquake with a goal to temporarily activate some of the vacant spots in the city and bring a bit of fun and hope back into Christchurch. In these projects, plans for the rebuild of the city are trialed on a small scale and it is up to us as a community to initiate, maintain and validate these ideas. If you want to get involved the Gap Filler website is a great place to start, you can find out about new fillers, volunteer your services and give suggestions: www.gapfiller.org.nz.
These guys run on community support, so if you like the idea of something let them know and offer to lend a hand! Some of their current projects:

Think Differently Book Exchange
Kilmore and Barbados Street
Simply a fridge, complete with a treasure chest styled door squeak, on an empty lot with yellow stepping stones leading up to it, filled with books that are passed around through the community. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week as it has been since July last year, so feel free to rock on up whenever it suits you and take a book, or give away one for free. The idea was put forward by Sarah Gallagher, a librarian who had seen a project of a similar nature done in the UK. It has been put at risk by some vandalism which made Gap Filler wonder whether it should be removed but the share strength of the community support has kept it around.

Lyttelton Petanque Club
London and Canterbury Street, Lyttelton
The Lyttelton Petanque Club is a multi-purpose public space with a performance stage, a community garden, handmade furniture and of course a great petanque pitch. This project attracted 35 volunteers to help build it and the community participation is ongoing with the summer additions of a sand pit, more benches, tables and fairy lights. It has been the host to many events from live music to poetry readings and of course petanque tournaments. A trip to Lyttelton is certainly in order, petanque balls can be borrowed from Portico (two doors down) or the library and while you are playing you can enjoy a coffee from Tommy Chang's Cafe next door!

Gap Filler's Community Chess
454 Colombo Street, Syndenham
Gap Filler's Community Chess replaces the giant chess set that used to be a part of Cathedral Square and boasts the best set in town and handmade tables and chairs. This idea was put forward by a group of Canterbury students to provide a sense of community and recreate the iconic landmark in Sydenham. The keys for the chess pieces are kept next door at the Honey Pot Cafe and are yours to use for free with a $10 deposit.

Pianos Invade Public Space
636 Ferry Road
Three pianos have been generously donated by the Christchurch School of Music, painted by university students and placed around Christchurch for the public to play. They have been host to concerts and would be the perfect place for a good old sing-a-long. Catch the Sumner bus to find the one at 636 Ferry Road. If anyone has found the other two, write us...?

I seem to have temporarily misplaced my sense of humour
Colombo Street between Carlye and Byron streets
This is a large mural painted by artist Wayne Youle and presented by the Christchurch Art Gallery and Gap Filler. It was inspired by Youle's childhood memories of his grandfather's workshop and is reminiscent of the tool storage found in many garages and sheds. It holds all the normal things – hammers, spanners and pliers – but also the unexpected, like a diamond ring, toys and a house. Youle says, "This mural is for all those who lent their tools and their hands to all who needed help. Also to all those that lost something in the quakes, no matter what that something may have been. Don't lose your sense of humour and ability to smile."

Cycle-Powered Cinema
Manchester and Dundas Street
This project has passed, but we ought to petition to bring it back. Located in the old Cycle Trading and Print Stop, it had a set of ten special stands where the public could ride their own bikes over, then attach them to a generator to power an outdoor projector and sound system. It was designed by local engineers and films started at the mystical time of sunset. Footage screened included the 1938 Round the Gorges Canterbury cycle race with live musical accompaniment by Anita Clark and Simon Gregory; a 1950s National Film Unit cycle safety film featuring a family of chimpanzees; and Tim Burton's Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Bring it back.

Stealth Art
Everywhere
Photographs taken at Bealey Avenue and Victoria Street, Cambridge Terrace and Colombo Street
Messages tied to the fences that now wall in our city, wild flowers sown where buildings once stood and recycled ornaments such as plastic bottle flowers are abundant around the city and in suburban areas that were heavily affected. Often in tribute to a certain place or person, it also brightens up somewhere that looks dull or industrial. It is very easy to participate and is easier still to enjoy looking; just a walk around the red zone will show you this immediate art form's breadth and depth. You are very unlikely to get in trouble for doing anything in this category as it is not damaging to property and is away from dangerous areas but I would suggest you think carefully and be respectful.

Wheat pasting, on the other hand, is the application of any paper or card to a surface with glue made from wheat and water. After the earthquakes many artists took to the street, buckets of paste and brushes in hand, to send the city get well cards and stick giant "band aides" onto its broken surfaces. This is something better found and viewed than participated in as it is illegal graffiti, is sometimes harmful to the surfaces where it is placed and is often posted on buildings that have been deemed dangerous. That aside, some of it is very, very cool.

Established Art

Christchurch Art Gallery
now exhibiting at NG Gallery
212 Madras Street
Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday to Sunday 10am – 4pm
Christchurch Art Gallery do not look set to re-open until next year, but they do have some projects going on in the meanwhile (as well as installations covering the external walls of their building). Their current exhibition, Meet Me on the Other Side, is being shown free to March 25th at the NG Gallery and Café.

Canterbury Museum
Rolleston Avenue at the end of Worcester Boulevard by the Botanic Gardens.
One of the few historic buildings still up and running. Their Hearts for Christchurch exhibition is ending today, so if you want to have a look drop everything right now and run to the museum as fast as you can! The project was the creation of Napier woman, Eva Harris, who started stitching and collecting handcrafted hearts with messages of support for our fair city after the February quake. There are over 4000 hearts from all over the world.

The Court Theatre
End of Bernard Street, off Lincoln Road, Addington.
Box Office
Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm
Saturday 10am – 5pm
Scared Scriptless is our local comedy show, and it's been running for 21 years. $12 during February gives you 80 minutes of comedy on Friday and Saturday nights. Good if you ain't wanting a big night on the piss but need to get away from your depressing flatmates. You can even go out on the razz afterwards – the Dux Live is just down the road.