As we await the arrival of the Matariki star cluster in our skies, this weekend Māori New Year celebrations are ramping up across Tāmaki Makaurau along with a host of other art and culture events and the opportunity to indulge in what might be Auckland’s best Sunday roast . Here’s a round-up of our top picks to keep you entertained this weekend. 1) Derek Jarman: Delphinium Days - Auckland CBD Marking 30 years since his untimely death from an Aids-related illness, on Saturday Gus Fisher Gallery opens a major exhibition by British artist and gay rights activist Derek Jarman.
Derek Jarman: Delphinium Days is a collection of the artist’s work in multi-media including painting, writing and film-making. As part of the exhibition, several of his films including Blue , Caravaggio and The Garden will be screened at The Capitol Cinema and the gallery will host a queer fashion class, creative gardening event, readings, private workshops for rainbow communities, performances and painting classes for children. It’s the first time Jarman’s work has been exhibited in Aotearoa and coincides with Britain’s pride month.
If you head in on Saturday, you can catch contemporary dance performance Celluloid Reverie at 1.45pm, inspired by Jarman’s film My Very Beautiful Movie (1974), and at 2pm, attend a tour with co-curators Lisa Beauchamp, Aaron Lister and Michael Lett. When: June 15-September 14.
Where: Gus Fisher Gallery, 74 Shortland St, Tāmaki Makaurau. Visit gusfishergaller.