.
We join the rest of the art community in mourning the passing of our friend, Melbourne artist John Nixon. If anyone exemplified the imperative ‘stick to your knitting’, it was Nixon. For decades, he has pursued a practice focused on reworking a set of tropes derived from the historical avantgarde, bridging geometric abstraction and the readymade. Deceptively simple, his work could be at once idealistic and materialistic, hermetic and worldly, removed and engaged. It was spiritual yet designy, doctrinaire yet joyous. Artist Mike Parr once characterised it as ‘beleaguered transcendence’. In staying on message as the world turned, Nixon’s project continued to make new sense in new times, finding new champions and acolytes. His work—and his example of how to live and operate as an artist—inspired others, including our own Julian Dashper. It remains a compass point.
.
[IMAGE: John Nixon: EP+OW, City Gallery Wellington, 1997.]
•

.
I’m involved in a new venture. Bouncy Castle is an imprint for publishing contemporary-art books in New Zealand. We will work with others—and go it alone—to publish important books on important art. We aspire to be the imprint of choice for publishing partners in this neck of the woods. Why do we call ourselves Bouncy Castle? Because it’s essential to defend a position but also to have fun. Our first book, Gavin Hipkins: The Homely II, is published in association with City Gallery Wellington. Available at better bookshops. [PS: Logo by our art director, Neil Pardington.]
•

.
Actually, Jim Barr tells me, the Choice! attendance was more than 555. If one includes—as one should—the 150 (a round figure surely) at the opening, it should be more like 705. I got the 555 figure (which I have cited elsewhere) from Lara Strongman’s thesis The Awful Stuff, but Jim took photos of the attendance records themselves—so he wins! Facts will be the death of us.
•