Riverdance is in town! They have awesome accents and even more amazing dancing skills – we just met John, Irish Dancing World Champion and Lauren who is the new lead female dancer. We also got some shots at the media call earlier today and a hello from one of their lovely dancers. Enjoy the sneak peek and if you can, head along to one of the eight shows on at the Aotea Centre between now and Sunday.

Updated - here are a couple of great media stories:

Breakfast - Tamati tries to keep up with the Riverdance dancers

Nightline - Ali talks about the Riverdance weddings!

NZ Herald review

Stuff - preview and gallery

Digital Art Live exhibition Acute Self opens this week, with a special event planned to coincide with creative conference Semi-Permanent.

The exhibition is created by Interrupt Collective and is based on Marcel Duchamp's Nude Descending Staircase, investigating how a person occupies space as they move. The viewer’s movement generates a three-dimensional geometric shape. This shape then changes its perspective as you continue to move from side to side. The viewer can experience the virtual space they have created through their movement. 

 “Acute Self explores the concept of creating volume through deconstructing our movements. The aim of the exercise is to generate awareness of our own existence within space, a feedback loop of our own movement through space. However Acute Self is so playful that all that theory washes away once you start making cool looking shapes on the screen!” said Interrupt Collective’s Johann Nortje. 

“Digital Art Live provides a great opportunity for us to develop and present our work in a public space. We like that it is a free, permanent and rotating exhibition which enables people to learn about interactive digital art as their experience grows."

“We’re really delighted to be able to link in with Semi-Permanent to present Acute Self to the creative community,” said Digital Art Live Co-ordinator Nolwenn Hugain-Lacire.

“It’s a year since we launched Digital Art Live and it’s great seeing people interact with the artworks, whether they’ve visited the Aotea Centre especially or are there for another event.”

Acute Self by Interrupt Collective

15 May - 22 June 

Digital Art Live 

Level 2, Aotea Centre

Free
More info

Opening Event Friday 18 May, 6-8pm

With a live dance performance by Lydia Zanetti from 7pm

Drinks at happy hour prices!

The exhibition is made possible through the support of Creative New Zealand.

About Interrupt Collective

Interrupt Collective is a collective of digital-media artists, interaction designers, live video performers and sonic artists working across a range of live performance projects and installations. The binding principle of the collective is to generate experimental work that explores the boundaries between architecture, video, performance, sound and interaction. Recently the members of Interrupt have been involved in Performance Arcade 2012, StageSpace 2011, WGTN LUX 2011, The Performance Arcade 2011, Auckland Festival of Arts, Wellington International Arts Festival, and Tiger Translate. Interrupt is based in Wellington, includes Johann Nortje, Harry Silver, Stuart Foster, Angus Woodhams and works in collaboration with Ben Jack.
www.interrupt.co.nz

About Digital Art Live

CoLab (AUT University’s creative technologies research centre) and THE EDGE (Auckland’s centre for national and international performing arts and entertainment) work collaboratively to present Digital Art Live, an exciting initiative to showcase digital and interactive visual art in an interactive space. Digital Art Live is a permanent exhibition space in the Aotea Centre’s BNZ Foyer.
dal.colab.org.nz
 

Semi-Permanent is here this week. On Friday and Saturday the Aotea Centre will be a hub of creative inspiration as a pretty impressive selection of speakers share their secrets and showcase their work.

We asked four attendees a few quick questions. They’ll report back on their favourite bits afterwards.

What do you do? Would you consider yourself a creative?
Angela: Yes, I’m  graphic designer and a creative person generally, and I do get opportunities to be creative in my job!

Sarah: I'm currently studying Development Studies at Auckland Uni, but I've freelanced as a journalist for about six or seven years. I'd consider myself a creative, although at the moment I'm trying to channel that academically!

Paula:  I am a graphic designer. I make pretty things or I make things look pretty (when they really really aren’t). Sometimes when I’m really lucky, I get to be creative.

Sam: Wannabe filmmaker and photographer. I don’t consider myself creative as in being an artist or designer, but I like to surround myself with creative people, and I guess I have a sort of creative approach to life.

What makes you want to go to Semi-Permanent?
Angela: To get a broader perspective on what I do and be inspired by the life stories and work of other creative people.

Sarah: It's always inspiring to hear from other creatives, even if their medium is different to mine. Plus, it's not every day you get the opportunity to learn from a select crew of talented artists!

Paula: I need the inspiration to keep liking my chosen profession. Hearing different people talk reminds me there are people out there still loving what they do.

Sam: I take any opportunity I can to listen to inspiring, intelligent and successful people.

Which speaker(s) are you most looking forward to?
Angela: Wallpaper magazine’s presentation, having always had a love of magazines and I think Wallpaper has established itself as one of style gurus of our times.
Ron English, as he comes from the world of street art, Banksy and Shepherd Fairey which I love. Moffitt Moffitt for the Australian perspective and I’ve followed their work.
Sarah:  Alex Trochut - I'm into typography, so it'll be great to hear from someone who shares this slightly odd love of the printed word. Ron English, because his illustrations are awesome, and Kelli Anderson because I really like her aesthetic.

Paula: Benja Harney (Paper Engineer — that sounds awesome) & Kelli Anderson.

Sam: ILM! Pioneers of movie special effects. Without them some of my favourite 80’s films, like Labyrinth and Indiana Jones, wouldn’t exist. Also, Stolen Girlfriends Club – an inspiring kiwi success story.

What do you want to get out of the conference?
Angela: Generally be inspired and re-invigorated.
Sarah: burst of creative inspiration and reminder to think outside the box; new ideas, perspectives and creative techniques; hopefully no diehard compulsions to jump on a plane and head back to New York!

Paula:  A couple of role models, some scribbles about what to do next and some ideas to steal.

Sam: Hopefully get inspired to take some action, and not just get jealous of how awesome everyone is.  And I’ve heard the goodie bags are awesome.

Have you planned your Semi-Permanent look?
Angela: Lol

Sarah: Not at all.

Paula: Not even owl.

Sam: Now that you mention it,  I should probably give this some thought!  

Here’s a preview by ERMEHN for what promises to be one of THE New Zealand Music Month concert events Remix the Orchestra. Hip Hop and the full Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra like you’ve never seen them before.

Here’s a preview by ERMEHN for what promises to be one of THE New Zealand Music Month concert events Remix the Orchestra. Hip Hop and the full Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra like you’ve never seen them before.

We were told stories and given insights into the childhood that so influenced his books for adults and children. A series of experiences explain why the creek is always a symbol of dark, danger and the kitchen represents light and safety.

He grew up in Henderson - just a small town back then - with a mother who was a writer of articles and magazines and eventually a volume published by Frank Sargeson. His father was a carpenter and man's man, but it was he who gave a young Maurice the first book he'd really enjoyed, a gory Chums Annual full of graphic war stories that he read incessantly for a year.

The first of his two readings was from his unpublished personal memoir about the man who introduced him to Charles Dickens - what started almost against his will became what he described as the greatest reading experience of his life - he was in love with Dickens by chapter two of Oliver Twist.

His grandparents influenced his novels and old people looking back recurs in many of his books - they're full of years, but not always of wisdom. He puts them in situations which calls them to look back as well as live in the present, and melds the two in the stories. Much of Plumb is based on his mother's father. "Every novelist should have an extraordinarily grandfather."

He reminds the audience that he didn't invent violence in novels and says we are all aware of lurking violence. In his books, it's there for a reason and even the resolution of it creates more story.

He didn't try to change his writing style over the years purposefully, but says as he got older, his mind got more full of ideas. He's searched his writing for influences himself, and says if anyone influenced him, it was Dickens - he started writing in his late teens shortly after reading Dickens - works that he burned in the fever of destruction he says young writers are apt to have.

He credits his wife Margareta with the research and insights for a number of his books - from doing oral histories with scientists to allowing him to access her teenage diaries.

There's a biography in the works and he's started writing his own memoir, although it's not for publication. The biography promises to be fascinating - he's encouraged the biographer to put anything in, he doesn't want anything hidden and humorously said that it sounds like she's already found a few things out. 

He's started writing non-fiction in the past couple of years, saying his ability to write fiction with life and imagination has left him. There seemed to be a ripple of sadness through the crowd, but from the writer himself is acceptance. He says he has a sense of completion about fiction, adding that he would have liked to have written a comic novel, as other than Prowlers, there wasn't a lot of humour in his book. We were treated to a very funny segment of that book as the second reading - well worth a read or re-read.

The session was a fitting ending to a wonderful festival that featured an great line-up of interesting speakers, many passionate discussions in the foyers and a record crowd! My freshly autographed copy of Under The Mountain going straight to the poolroom - after I revisit my childhood to read it.

I don't have a child and I'm slightly older than five, but it didn't stop me from going to see Oliver Jeffers' session at Auckland Writers & Readers Festival with my illustrator friend Angela Keoghan (look her up, she's awesome).

He's an excellent presenter and had the adults charmed and the children in giggles. There was also a very attentive penguin on the audience.

He and amazing local comic guy Dylan Horrocks spent a bit of time sharing their top tips for becoming really good at drawing. They drew and spoke, and I scribbled trying to keep up. Here is what I managed to get down:

DRAWING TIPS:
1. Keep drawing and share your ideas
2. Try to draw with your eyes open
3. Don't draw on toilet paper
4. Don't draw with your tongue
5. It's okay to make sound effects
6. Read lots of books
7. Think about books you like and why you like them and sometimes think about books you don't like
8. Get an artists smock
9. A beret helps too
10. Get a window to stare pensively out of
11. If your mum says no, ask your dad
12. If your dad says no, ask your cat
13. Never ever eat something the size of your head
14. Always brush your teeth
15. A shark would always beat a bear in a fight, if they were at sea
16. ...unless the bear had a boat
17. The myth that eating cheese at bedtime gives you weird dreams is totally true

18. ...in the morning try to remember your dreams because they can give you great ideas
19. ...like a flying pink elephant that's on fire
20. If you lose something it's always going to be the last place you look - which is down the back of the sofa
21. Sofas are alive
22. You can take anything at all, and make it alive by adding legs

23. If it needs personality, eyebrows will do it for you
24. Clouds are not solid objects, but you can draw them anyway
25. ...and have parties in them with cups of tea
26. ...and a firemen's pole to get down from them

It was a great session. Check out www.oliverjeffers.com for more. Buy his books and wear colourful jumpers! And keep an eye out for when he creates an edible book!