The Adlington Post

As part of Auckland Artweek 2017, I will participate in LOOK@KRd with a pop-up installation in the window of the shop Buana Satu 229 K Rd, Auckland. As an environmental artist living on the North Shore in Auckland, and am honored to be able to present this installation as part of my long-standing and on-going body of work entitled “Our Dying Planet”. My installation will have an environmental theme - the rapid and continuing extinction of species in NZ.  Entitled "Steampunk Explorers and Moa Bones" this piece is intended to be a wake-up call as to what we have squandered and lost comparatively recently in this once-pristine land. Brief Artist's Statement: "The story suggested by this installation is that in 1888 a group of steampunk explorers fly in an airship to unexplored Fiordland in search of the last of the moa. Unfortunately, the extinction of the moa had been rapid - it is estimated that within 100 years of Polynesians landing in New Zealand the entir

The puff promotions concerning the marketing of the proposed Victor (“prepare to be amazed”) apartment block in Bute Road, Browns Bay include a considerable down-playing of the physical impact this monster will have on the local community. Whoever drew the architect’s impression below obviously forgot (?) that perspective lines converge at the horizon. I have roughly amended the false image using the more authentic perspective as applied to another similar-sized development. This correction gives a somewhat more realistic impression of the looming presence of this “amazing” giant. . (Unfortunately my Photoshop skills do not extend to correcting the perspective of the original image)

The site of the old Beachside gym on Anzac Road has been vacant for some time, now that the development of the million-dollar units has been canned. It looks as if the blank canvas of the concrete wall to the East has proven too much of a temptation for someone armed with a bunch of spray-cans......

Changes to the Auckland Council unitary plan have enabled the latest owners of the block of land along the cliff top walkway at the South end of Browns Bay beach , to fell a large, well-established pohutukawa tree on the property and open-up the view northwards over the bay. The mayor is talking about planting a million trees, but no consideration seems to be given to such existing ancestors as this. Are we facing development at any price? See the video at: https://youtu.be/tb4supnEM-A

According to press releases, work on turning the old New World site into a large square block of glass, concrete and steel is projected to begin around the middle of the year. With the provision of only 78 carparks for the 64 apartments (plus 5 or 6 retail outlets) it looks as though this development will a make a considerable contribution to the growing parking problems facing Browns Bay. Staff in the Victor office in Clyde Road informed me that each of the 6 penthouses will have two carparks, the two-bedroom apartments will have one each, and the one-bedroom  habitations will not be provided with any parking spaces whatsoever. This week a wire fence has been erected around the West and part of the South sides of the old structure, however there is as yet no evidence of preparations for any demolition work.

The Sanctuary cafe has recently opened after a lengthy makeover of the old English Shop. This makes the 17th such establishment in Browns Bay, and we can look forward to any deficit of local coffee/bakery needs being filled shortly by the opening of #18 - Hollywood Bakery.

The wild weather whipped up some foam over the last few days along the beach, and especially at Taiaotea Creek. Further north it a dingy has washed up.....