V Program Book NEW Single Pages

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THE VERNACULAR

LOUNGE



“Cultures are not manufactured by

artists or declared by committees.
They are the responses of peoples, in a
particular time and a particular place,
to that time and that place…They
are not shaped by social revolutions
but by a continuous accumulation of
personal rebellions. They are enriched
by the tensions of challenge. They are
about difference more than they are
about sameness” Hamish Keith



The Vernacular Lounge is an inti-
mate living room which sheds a light
on the influences that shape Aotearoa
New Zealand’s evolving and
distinctive cultural identity as defined
by its art, architecture, literature, film
and other cultural forms. In a
contemporary, globalised context the
vernacular is an even more

important component of the Depot’s
raison d’etre.

The ‘lounge’, while not peculiar to

New Zealand, is traditionally and
typically the social hub of the New
Zealand home and it is in this
spirit and form that The Vernacular
Lounge will host and initiate
exhibitions, publications, events and
showcases, that explore and develop
our cultural vernacular.


Events and exhibitions in
The Vernacular Lounge have

included tributes to Don Binney and
Ralph Hotere, an exhibition of
vernacular architecture and a history
of peace protests in New Zealand.
They have explicitly or implicitly
explored the question; in the
midst of diversity, is
there an elusive
quality,

a ‘national
identity’,
which binds
us all?














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Here’s what UNESCO has to say about

this phenomenon:


While fragile, intangible cultural
heritage is an important factor in
maintaining cultural diversity in the
face of growing globalisation.
An understanding of the intangible
cultural heritage of different
communities helps with
intercultural dialogue, and
encourages mutual respect for other

ways of life. The importance of
intangible cultural heritage is not the
cultural manifestation itself but rather
the wealth of knowledge and skills
that is transmitted through it from
one generation to the next.


The social and economic value of this
transmission of knowledge is relevant

for minority groups and for
mainstream social groups within a
State, and is as important for
developing States as for developed
ones.

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Contents



Page 8-11
FADE


Page 12-13
21 IN 21


Page 14-16
THE SARGESON SWERVE

Heritage Festival

Page 17
BEATRICE CARLSON


Page 20
PUBLICATIONS

Dept Press

Page 22-23
CULTURAL ICONS
including EMERGING ICONS

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FADE

KATHRIN SIMON


Dotted across the Northland countryside on
roadsides, hilltops and marae sit dozens of tiny,
wooden churches.


Fade explores the historical churches that dot the
Northland countryside. The exhibition invites viewers
to step into these churches and to explore their sense
of fade, both physical and temporal.


Centuries of religious tradition and Maori culture
were incorporated into these places of worship built
following the arrival in the Hokianga of European
Christian missionaries or later appropriated to
accommodate followers of Ratana. In many instances,
the settlements they were built to serve have ebbed
away, leaving these buildings as the only reminder
of ages past and the Whenua - Maori and Pakeha, lay
and religious - who gathered in them to celebrate life,
death, triumph or sorrow.


The churches stand with what might be described as
a quiet contentment but in differing states of repair.
Where one houses nothing more than birds in the
ceiling as the seasons gnaw at its exterior, others
remain as functioning churches. They are buildings
that offer quiet solitude to those who open their
doors. Fade invites viewers to step into these
churches and to explore their sense of fade, both

physical and temporal. In many ways, these qualities
act to increase their sense of the spiritual.
Photography is a medium that also relies on fade and
shadow for its power and this exhibition would like to
show the churches as images that have been
developing slowly over the last 150 years, their losses
incorporated into their sense of space and into their
conversations with whatever lies beyond. The
exhibition aims to show the churches as they are
now, their histories known, their futures unknown.


Images by Kathrin Simon will be accompanied with
writing by historian Matt Elliott, detailing the
background and history of the churches displayed.


Kathrin Simon is an award winning
photographer with a focus on documentary and
storytelling. She has a passion and eye for seeing
unique stories and presents them in a way that
intrigues and inspires the audience. She works on
self-initiated projects energized by what inspires
herself in the world that surrounds her - the topics are
diverse. Kathrin has exhibited her work in solo and
group exhibitions in New Zealand and abroad. She
enjoys collaborating with artists of other disciplines
to intensify the story she is telling. Her latest show
Full Moon Kingdom was one of the leading visual arts
events of the Auckland Arts Festival 2016.
Matt Elliott is a best-selling and award-winning au-
thor of eleven books for adults and children.
His non-fiction titles include
sporting, cultural and historical biographies of


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New Zealand subjects. In 2012, his collaboration with
illustrator Chris Slane ‘Nice Day for a War: Adventures
of a Kiwi Soldier in WWI’ (based on Matt’s
grandfather’s 1917 diary from the Western Front) won
the Non-fiction and Book of the Year gongs at the
NZ Post Children’s Book Awards. He contributes
articles about local history and personalities to
New Zealand Memories magazine and his most
recent book, released in June, 2016, was ‘War Blacks:
the extraordinary story of New Zealand’s World War I
All Blacks’.

FADE






KA THRIN SIMON

Dotted across the Northland countryside on roadsides,
hilltops and marae sit dozens of tiny, wooden churches.
The exhibition aims to show the churches as they are now,
their histories known, their futures unknown.





























VERNACULAR LOUNGE
JULY 22 – AUGUST 16








28 Clarence St, Devonport www.depotartspace.co.nz

21 n 21

LLOYD MACOMBER


Lloyd Macomber is a practising architect and director
of heritage specialists Salmond Reed Architects.


A camera over the shoulder has been his constant
companion long before joining SRA and for well over
2 decades Macomber has sought out image-worthy
compositions on countless subjects - typically old
buildings - both from afar and up close.


Along with the stock in trade photographers tools of
composition, pattern, viewpoint, tone, colour and the
must have tool - light, Macomber revels in the well
used, the worn and the faded buildings from
yesteryear. The patina of age in old building elements
continues to be the main attraction.


Images in the exhibition include subjects Macomber
and his practise SRA have had a hand in restoring,
adaptively reusing or altering, including Auckland’s
Chief Post Office, Civic Theatre, Allendale House,
Art Gallery, War Memorial Museum and Wellington’s
Sacred Heart Cathedral.


Other images represent the everyday shack, barn or
preloved structure found on the side of the road.


21 in 21: Our Built Heritage represents the confluence
of architect and photographer in the continuum that
is recording New Zealand’s built heritage.

21 in 21

Our built heritage.
























1-27 September

21 images of NZ heritage architecture over 21 years













28 Clarence Street, Devonport (09) 963 2331 www.depotartspace.co.nz



www.depotartspace.co.nz

THE SAGESON

SWERVE

A LITERARY LIFE ON ESMONDE ROAD



Writer Frank Sargeson lived at 14 Esmonde Road from
1931 until his death in 1982. Here he created a literary
oasis where writers lived, worked and partied. It has
been said that this was where New Zealand literature
was born.


The little fibrolite bach however is located on Es-
monde Road, once a quiet backwater but from the
1950s a congested onramp for the Auckland Harbour
Bridge.


Using artefacts such as the quilt made for Sargeson
by Janet Frame, paintings, sculpture, film, images and
writing this exhibition examines Sargeson’s influ-
ence on the development of New Zealand literature
played out against the backdrop of Esmonde Road
and the expanding city.


The title? Even after Frank’s death the story
continued. During later road widening allowance had
to be made for Frank’s ashes scattered in the front
garden of the house. This was known to the traffic
engineers as, ‘The Sargeson Swerve’.

Two interesting facts:

1. Janet Frame lived at 14 Esmonde Road while
she wrote ‘Owls do Cry’. While there she also made
Frank Sargeson a wonderful patch-work quilt on
display at the exhibition.


2. Frank Sargeson was a very good gardener and was
THE SARGESON SWERVE,
one of the first people in New Zealand to grow, eat
and sell capsicums.
A LITERARY LIFE ON


ESMONDE ROAD








































Artefacts from the home of Frank Sargeson that examine
his influence on the development of New Zealand literature.
www.depotartspace.co.nz

September 30 – October 19

Vernacular Lounge, Depot Artspace












28 Clarence Street, Devonport (09) 963 2331
www.depotartspace.co.nz

THE SARGESON SWERVE,

A LITERARY LIFE ON


ESMONDE ROAD





























Painting By Graham Downs
Artefacts from the home of Frank Sargeson that examine
his influence on the development of New Zealand literature.
September 30 – October 19

Vernacular Lounge, Depot Artspace









28 Clarence Street, Devonport (09) 963 2331
www.depotartspace.co.nz

BEATRICE CARLSON



Beatrice Carlson is a French visual

artist, living in Devonport.
As a visual artist, Carlson has shown
work in Auckland and across New
Zealand as well as Internationally,
with her work appearing in juried
shows in Japan, New Mexico, Bulgaria,
United Arab Emirates, Portugal.



8 times Finalist of the WOW Awards
from 2010, Runner up South
pacific Section in 2010 with her
garment “Who is the pest, I am the
pest” and 2012 South Pacific Section
Winner with “Marquise Rawahi”.
This garment is part of the World of
WearableArt Collection.


”I have “a genetic fashion disorder”
with a great grandmother fine linen
embroiderer, 2 grandmothers

couturieres…and a fashion design
diploma in France.”


Her stories take shape like collage of
photographs on a computer.
Perspex , Carlson’s main medium,





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allows to work in large scale with
striking colours.

From 2010, she has been creating
wearable pieces for World of Wearable
Art, a “come-back” to fashion in the
making process.
Those pieces are the result of modern
skills and traditional art form; they are
in constant move and evolve thru the
different techniques and mediums,
corresponding to each other in all the
forms of her practice: Pieces,
Photography, Etching, Jewellery, large

prints on Perspex.

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DEPOT PRESS
PUBLICATIONS

Depot Press publications
delve into the evolving
vernacular identity

of Aotearoa,
New Zealand.
These challenging
and evocative
publications
feature thought
provoking articles,
question social ‘norms’

and celebrate the vernacular
and indigenous practices. Themes
chosen for The Vernacularist
are generally topical and deliberately
open to interpretation in order
to encourage creative and diverse
submissions of relevance to Aotearoa
New Zealand’s unique physical,
cultural, social and ecological
environment.


There are two series, Vernacular

Studies and the Special Edition series.









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Helen Pollock
‘Falls the Shadow’:
a commemoration
of WW1
















Anti-Apartheid
Protest 1981






































Heather Randerson
‘Niwa 4: Nga Kara e Rua’
He W’akaputanga Mai o te
Rangatiratanga exhibition, 2014

A.R.D. Fairburn and
Maurice Duggan












Barry Brickell
‘Rails Towards the
Sky’ book launch at
Depot Artspace













Nigel Brown
Museum of the
Vernacular
www.depotartspace.co.nz

Depot Artspace 28 Clarence Street, Devonport Auckland


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