Elizabeth...

..Taylor, a giant of the screen, the prettiest star, has left this mortal coil. There are few words...here's a few of our favourite images of the great lady...rest in peace Liz...legend. gnrxox

Love.

Lou Reed Interview

We love this Australian interview with Lou Reed who looks insanely cool whilst exuding a "waiting for the man" affectation and is clearly dumbfounded by the journalist's stupidity, all at the same time..."journalists, I love journalists..."

Philanthropy...

Salvador Dali's Instrument masochiste

...basically means "an altruistic concern for human welfare and development" so when New York art collectors and philanthropists Julian and Josie Robertson announced that they were gifting the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki fifteen works through its foundation there is no doubt that this was a philanthropic act at it's purest. Art is one of the greatest gifts, and art by masters such as Cezanne, Picasso, Matisse, Gaugin, Mondrian, Dali and more, to a city - and country - devoid of such masterpieces is a great gift indeed. The Robertsons announced their 'promised gift' to the gallery and the people of New Zealand in May 2009 and for one week in early November we will be able to see these masterpieces, for free, in the gallery's 5 Works In 7 Days exhibition. Picasso's Mere aux enfants a l'orange [1951], Braque's La tasse [1911], Matisse's Espagnole [1922], Derain's Paysage al Estaque and Salvador Dali's Instrument masochiste [1933-34] will form one third of the final exhibition in the newly refurbished gallery in 2011 but for one week you will be able to wander into the gallery and see them up close.

5 works in 7 Days
Sat 7 - Fri 13 November, 2009
Auckland Art Gallery, cnr Wellesley & Lorne Streets

The Impossible (Polaroid) Dream

Photo: Cathleen Naundorf

When production of analogue instant film stopped at Polaroid's plants in Mexico and The Netherlands last June, photographers all around the world let out a collective "No!" The film has been widely loved as a creative medium and as a pre-shoot option when the main event, usually large format film was too expensive to waste on lighting set-ups and make-up finals. When local photographer (and instant film format lover) Stephen Tilly exhibited his excellent Polaroid Is Dead show here in Auckland as recently as May 2009, he obviously didn't know about The Impossible Project.

Impossible Project is a collective culled largely from former Polaroid factory workers who refuse to let the Polaroid company's transformation from an instant film company to a global consumer electronics and digital imaging company affect their desire to see the format continue. They have signed a 10 year lease on the old Netherlands Polaroid factory, engaged a team of the world's leading analogue film experts and plan to release their first instant film, a film that works in vintage Polaroid cameras, in 2010. They stress that this is "NOT Polaroid" and the film will have it's own characteristics "consisting of new optimised components, produced with a streamlined modern setup. An innovative and fresh analogue material, sold under a new brand name that perfectly will match the global re-positioning of Integral Films."

We can hear a collective "yes!" emanating from our photographer friends around the world.

The Impossible Project will be supplying Black Magazine with some of the new product for a shoot here in New Zealand that will appear in Issue 12.

Dimmer's Gordons Masterpiece

Our good friend Paulie McNeil alerted us to this homegrown gem. Shayne Carter proves why he is one of the greats of New Zealand music and the band aren't far behind in this black and white live clip shot at Wellington's Bodega earlier this year. Covering the seminal Machine Song by The Gordons Dimmer give the great song a spirited workout imbued with respect. Invigorating stuff and Shayne at his best.