KINGSLAND SURPRISE

Wandering around the Auckland suburb of Kingsland yesterday with friends from Christchurch we stumbled across a most interesting store full of NZ hand made items – jewellery, blankets, clothing, art, wooden toys. Native Agent is the name of the store and you can visit them on the Web at www.nativeagent.co.nz or go along to 507a New North Road, Kingsland , say hello to Lindsay and check her store out in person.
And while you are there check out The Fridge next door, a superb deli/café where I had the best mince pie ever along with an excellent cup of Karajoz coffee.

I mention this because on the counter at Native Agent I found a magazine I had not come across before WHITE FUNGUS.
The first sentence of the Editorial reads:

Welcome to White Fungus Issue 7 . Non-official culture from Wellington, Aotearoa, New Zealand.

I guess you would categorise it as an arts magazine, an experimental arts magazine, one that devotes space to a number of less well known artists as well as those well established. It also looks at Auckland duo, Coco Solid, the Festival of sound and film held in Dunedin last October, there are stories on public art, Singapore, Yvonne Todd, the Pink & White Terraces (very good too), performance art at Govett-Brewster and a lot more besides.

There is also an interview with American writer Chris Kraus and here is a small part of what Kraus had to say that particularly caught my eye:

‘How to Look at a Painting” by Justin Paton is such a perfect book It’s written for anyone, any civilian outside the art world. Justin talks about how to look at the work very openly, being willing to make your own connections”.

I would warmly endorse these comments, “How to Look at a Painting”, published in Wellington by Awa Press in their entertaining and acclaimed "Ginger Series" which also includes “How to Read a Book” and “How to Drink a Glass of Wine”.


Sorry about the colours here, the true colours are a beautiful burgundy and shades of brown! Apologies to the publisher.


If you are interested in the arts do spend $10 and have a look at White Fungus. I found it good value.
www.whitefungus.com