Tales from the Trunk # 9

A Surfer Dude

While chatting to my cousin Graeme recently, he showed me a photo (the one below) of my grandfather.
Now, Granddad, was born in 1880 and died in 1965. At his death he was living in Gisborne.
It seems he was many things:  a bible-ridden Christian, a narrow-minded, somewhat intolerant and proud man, fiercely independent, son of an Orange Lodge-supporting Ulsterman, musical (see his flute), a storeman/warehouseman, a public servant; as he aged, he was crippled by arthritis and diabetes.
What I hadn't counted on was that he was also a 'surfer dude'! See what I mean for yourself:

Uh, oh - major revision of family stories required!

Titokowaru's Dilemma

I was in Invercargill recently, and visited the Southland Museum.

I was very taken by one of their displays, called Titokowaru's Dilemma. It is an exhibition of prints by Marian Maguire, which actually comprises 3 print series: Titokowaru's Dilemma, A Taranaki Dialogue, and Colonial Encounters.

What is so striking about these images is their re-purposing of 'ancient' or classical forms and imagery. Thus she presents what is unmistakably a greek vase decorated with imagery derived from colonial Taranaki! Fascinating.

Have a look for yourself: