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Cultural Diplomacy
15/09/10 - 10/10/10

Don't worry, be happy
18/08/10 - 12/09/10

Anarchy in Avondale
21/07/10 - 14/08/10

Beneath the Blue
23/06/10 - 18/07/10

Duck!
25/05/10 - 19/06/10

The House of Lentigo
28/04/10 - 22/05/10

Stupid Studid Stupid Stupid Stupid Daddy
31/03/10 - 24/04/10

Joyful, Sorrowful, Glorious
03/03/10 - 27/03/10

Dark Matter Blue Noise
03/02/10 - 27/02/10

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Chateau Cardboard

Lauren Lysaght

Wednesday 24 October - 10 November

"For the last six months, I have been presenting myself at the Helensville and Titirangi RSAs. The staff and members have been saving wine cartons for me. I discovered that cask wine is served only now at RSAs. Of course it can be purchased at Supermarkets and I think it is interesting to note that most NZers have a “past” with Cask wine but these days we are far too sophisticated to drink it.
I have always enjoyed the way Kiwis affectionately called it Chateau Cardboard. I think this name sums our uncanny ability to send up our own status in the world.
Using the cartons, I have made shoes. I saw an image of a pair of Marie Antoinette's shoes and wondered who had "seized" them. Was it before or after her execution? It made me think about the status of shoes. Mine are somewhat fanciful. I wanted them to look as if they had belonged to somebody, to suggest another era, to look and funny. But also to have an edge of darkness.
In previous work I have looked at other obsessions. Our booze culture was one remaining bastion I hadn't tackled. In our society wine drinking is acceptable, sophistocated, stylish. I wonder when it steps over the line like Mary-Antoinette?
My Aunt Jude was renowned for reciting our "Whakapapa". She could go back through the centuries. Whether these were the thoughts of an addled mind or not, Aunt Jude told me one of our ancestors was Napoleon's shoe maker. So here's to shoemakers young and old."