Category: Travel
-
Opera as African artform.
A new book on how opera became African has recently been published and it promises to be a fascinating read. Opera was introduced to Cape Town in South Africa in the 19th Century and was originally the preserve of the privileged few. When democracy came to the country in 1994, people thought that opera would…
-
How Shetland wool became famous
For those who have been lucky enough to visit Shetland, the archipelago in the Far North of the UK that has an illustrious and long history of textiles, you will remember the thousands of sheep that litter the hills (and, sometimes, the roads) of the islands. These sheep are the mainstay of an industry that…
-
Bicycles on a tapa
This amazing piece of tapa is housed in a beautiful building in Hokitika: Renton Hardware Building. The piece features what looks like columns, writing and bicycles. There is little information about it and anyone with any knowledge or ideas about its origin can leave a comment below or send an email. These will be passed…
-
Lindzeanne
Lindsey “Lindzeanne” Gradolph is a textile artist who uses embroidery to explore and fill spaces. Basing her practice on the Japanese idea of wasting nothing – mottainai – Lindsey uses sashimi threads and hand-sewing to create dense textures and patterns on objects and cloth.
-
Of Paisley, Aunty Mary’s bloomers and A Mystery.
Isn’t it surprising what turns up in unexpected corners of the world? This week an invitation to visit a friend with a collection turned out to be unexpectedly fun! The small town of Hokitika is just down the road from Greymouth Mawhera and is surrounded by farmland. It also has some spectacular scenic drives, being…
-
The choir
A few weeks ago a new singing group started in Greymouth. This week the group started to learn a piece of music that will be familiar to many readers… and listeners: Es ist ein Ros entsprungen. The choir has been lots of fun. There plenty of laughter alongside some serious learning, and the group is…
-
This week’s Spotify playlist
Each week a curated list of music (and sometimes sound) is made on the streaming platform: Spotify. The list goes alongside the blog, featuring audio from different artists and countries that appear in the weekly newsletter or that reflect current events. For those with a paid subscription to Spotify, you will hear the tracks in…
-
The New York Times series on young Africa
The New York Times is running a series of articles focusing on the youth of Africa. The “youth boom” of the continent is changing both it and the wider world, altering perceptions and driving change through invention, creativity and energy. There is plenty to read in the articles including pieces about artists, designers and makers…
-
Whirimako Black
Maori soul singer, performer and actress, Whirimako Black (Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit) is on tour and has just played the West Coast. One of the surprising things about many of the small settlements in Aotearoa New Zealand is the vitality and creativity of their art scenes. Barrytown, a very small township…
-
Think macrame was over in the 1970s?
It is time to think again! Laurentine Périlhou, a French artist who has been working with the craft for almost ten years, is making waves with the reinvention of this ancient and traditional craft from the Arab world.