A decade of creativity

Following this year’s Artweek, Deborah White, outgoing director, and director of Grey Lynn Whitespace Contemporary Art Gallery, will be stepping down. After musing upon the decade that was, White spoke to Dione Joseph about some of the works that have continued to capture her imagination. As she reiterated, it’s hard for a parent to choose their favourites so this is “most definitely not that list”.

Changing Lanes, Chris Berthelsen and Xin Cheng ( 2016)

“This duo transformed Lower Vulcan Lane to create a welcoming terrain for relaxing, making, eating and being together. It was a very gentle installation that turned out to be provocative and created lots of discussion about homelessness; the role of art and its power.”

Stuck in a Maze, Margaret Lewis in collaboration with Awhina Mai Tatou Katoa ( 2017) “The work developed at Auckland City Library, centred around the key question, ‘ How do people end up sleeping rough?’ The interactive maze took people on a journey from being housed to homeless and along the way shed light on what it is to be homeless in Auckland. It offered a glimpse into a world of no- choice choices, where things just happen.”

Bone Like This, Hanna Shim ( 2019)

“This was a deeply moving exhibition at Whitespace looking at the fragility of life and certainty of death.”

The SaVage K’lub’s inaugural High Tea ( 2015)

“Led by Rosanna Raymond, this pop- up event at St Kevins Arcade proved as always to be a provocative and visually spectacular performance offering discussions on influencing art and culture through the interfacing of time.” Asylum, Peter Roche ( 2016)

“The late Peter Roche’s multi- sensory art installation involved spectacular sound and visual effects to create an absorbing experience in the industrial silo site.”