Last night's Media7 covered three topics dear to my heart: rugby football, music and copyright and public data geekery. You can watch it here.
I haven't seen it yet because I was jointly MCing the New Artland launch last night. That was fun, and the associated art auction raised $40,000 for the Stroke Foundation to spend on art therapy and other rehabilitation in the community. I was tired and my feet hurt afterwards, but it was a good thing to do.
One particularly good part about it was working with the New Artland people. They're a nice bunch. Their new season, with Chris Knox presenting, launches at 9.35pm Saturday night, on TVNZ 7.
But wait! There's more! The stage is now clear to pursue the original idea that came to me after David Herkt's A Very Simple Stroke was posted here. He talked about the dull visual environment in rehab, and I thought: let's put some art on the walls, then. But I'm great with ideas, not so good at execution. (The charitable way to put it is that the supply of ideas exceeds the capacity to fulfil.) So I'm grateful to Sofie and islander in particular for keeping me honest on this one.
It's this: we solicit art (and in some cases, solid sculpture) to give to Rehab Plus, the Auckland facility where Sofie's healing from her stroke began and where Chris is now. Not all art is suitable: David advises me that anything busy or jarring would not be right. Photography might be particularly good, and I've talked to some Flickr group people. Generally, then, beautiful and healing.
There will be some costs associated with, say, mounting and enlarging photographs, and we'll cover those to the extent possible with donations from you lot.
If we fill up Rehab Plus, we start filling another rehab centre.
I don't have much idea about logistics at the moment, but Sofie reckons we should get it nailed by Christmas. She does seem a woman to get things done. I'll consult her and try and get back with some more next week.
Righto.
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Auckland Museum's game-changing LATE at the Museum is back for another season, under the theme WHEREYAFROM? The opener, next Thursday, features Finlay Macdonald talking to Dr John Merson, the Director of the Australian Institute of Environmental Studies, along with Rod Oram. The musical performers are Ladi6 and King Kapisi, and the museum’s new exhibition Wonderland: The Mystery of the Orchid will be open.
The website is here. Tickets are only $15, but I'm in a position to offer up eight free double passes to the event to lucky Public Address readers. Just click Reply and email me with LATE as the subject line.
I'm in Wellington for an NZ On Screen trust boarding meeting tomorrow, so don't expect me to sort out winners till Monday morning.
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Claudette Hauiti, producer of Eye to Eye among others, now has a blog. As you might expect, it's informal and forthright.
And you can get an advance look at the soon to launch internet video network Ziln. I'm not sure about the user interface -- are those pop-ups always going to be there ? -- but the content looks interesting.
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My main man Andy has been uploading some of his video catalogue: both music videos he directed, like this one for Voom's 'Beth':
And, less, er formal works. Check out Meatboy in the back yard of Club Richmond, 1993. Perhaps you're even there!
Okay, I need to eat lunch then resume the board meeting. Feel free to post stuff in the discussion and have a lovely weekend.