In defence of clowns

Whether they’re being cast as serial killers or compared to politicians, it’s a hard time being a clown. Sherry Zhang reflects on her time as a jester, and talks to some friends in the profession.  Time and time again, clowns have been ridiculed and defamed in our parliament. A few weeks ago, in relation to … Read more

Portrait of an Artist Banging on a Cabin Bread Tin

Tongan New Zealand performance artist Kaisolaite Uhila is the current visiting artist in residence at Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Whether he’s living homeless around the boundary of Auckland Art Gallery for the Walters Prize, or sleeping with pigs in Aotea Square, Uhila uses his body and its labour to start uneasy conversations that break down … Read more

How the Guerrilla Girls are still shaking up the art world after 30 years

The Guerrilla Girls are an infamous group of feminist art activists who’ve been calling out sexism and prejudice in the art world since the 80s. On the eve of her first trip to New Zealand, group member ‘Frida Kahlo’ talks to Megan Dunn.  In 1984, the Museum of Modern Art in New York launched the … Read more

K Road naked protester: ‘I was feeling the violence towards all women’

Protester and performance artist Jazmine Rose Phillips talks to Anke Richter about the assault and police inaction which led to her naked protest on Karangahape Road. NB: The following images contain nudity  Last week, performance artists Kyah Dove and Jazmine Rose Phillips stood naked and covered in fake blood in front of St Kevin’s Arcade … Read more