DSDN 171 - Blog 5

Locovisual

St James theatre

Known as the best theatre in New Zealand, ‘His Majisty’ or best known as St James theatre is situated in Wellington on Courtney place. The architect of the beautiful rococo and neo-classical revival designed theatre was Henry Eli White who had built what was one of his most famous theatres out of his one hundred and thirty. It was built in 1912 and he believed it was one to out live the rest.

When designing St James theatre White believed a classic design was what would be best suited for the austere climate of wellington. Baroque opulence was favoured more on the inside much like the English theatres. Beautiful plaster work was created on the inside by William Leslie with plaster masks, full figures, cupids, ornate cornices and picked out gold decorative work and ‘the faintest flush of rose madder’. The brother of Rose Leslie was used as a model for William to create the plaster work of the cherubs.

The balcony frontage has the typical cheery theatrical rococo style. The highly ornamented interior that includes plaster caryatids, cherubs and curlicues, and gilded classical Greek motifs that include lyres, horns, harps, acanthus leaves, dancing cupids, and theatre masks.

 The outside has been created with a neo-classical look. Columns or the column like structure is displayed over the front of the theatre. The design relating back to the Parthenon with its bold square look and raised triangular roof imbedded on each side of the front of the building. White designed it to be symmetrical giving it a high standard finish.

The St james theatre was near the first of theatres that White employed the ‘semi-cantilever’ system.  A system of where columns would not be situated throughout the theatres but well back. He quotes the reason of this in a general discussion:  “ ‘How often do you hear someone say? Oh, I had a bad seat just behind one of those wretched pillars. That is wrong, the perfect theatre should have no pillars.”

[Untitled photograph of St James theatre]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2012, from http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2283/2289740452_88a9a98aca.jpg

[Untitled photograph of St James theatre]. (n.d.). Retrieved June 1, 2012, from

http://www.conventionsnz.co.nz/MetaPicHandler.ashx?JPEG=_1539_4_1_6_4_0_.metapicx

McGill, D. (1998). Full circle The history of the St James Theatre. Wellington, New Zealand: Phantom house books.

Gardiner, M.F. (1974). Henry Eli White (published masters thesis). University of Victoria, Wellington.

DSDN 171 - Curatorial

“Your best work is your expression of yourself. Now, you may not be the greatest at it, but when you do it. You’re the only expert.” –Frank Gehry explains this quote that ties into the work of the fluid model  as it may not be the greatest, but ideas pulled from precedents to form an expression of yourself with in the design of the model.

In the Fluid form model that has been designed, it links and corresponds with the precedent artists by the names of Wassily Kandinsky and Frank Gehry. The model displays elements and certain features of their design work. Elegant flowing curved lines are enriched in the model, from how the architect Frank Gehry has displayed the curves in his buildings. He has designed with sheets of metal bent and twisted over to form unique abstracted shapes that capture viewers’ eyes.

The fluid form model bends and twists being bound in place by geometric shaped thread. The curves being repetitive link to Kandinskys use of a series of parallel lines in his painting. All curves are at the same width and length with the same amount of spacing between each one leading up to individual points where each one is bounded together with black thread in a triangular shape. The contrast in colours and use of material is simple with it gloss on one side and matt on the other. Being white it reflects light in different ways and produces unique abstracted shadows. It helps to capture its viewers as if it is one of Gehry’s architectural structures.

Reference

“Your best work is your expression of yourself. Now, you may not be the greatest at it, but when you do it. You’re the only expert.” (Frank Gehry, 2012).

Erdoiza, M. (2010). Marqués de Riscal Winery [Photograph]. Retrived May 10, 2012, from http://www.fotopedia.com/items/anboto-zdiRbu3nSHE


Solomon, R. (1923). Composition VIII [Painting]. Retrieved from http://www.ibiblio.org/wm/paint/auth/kandinsky/

My name is Troy Stevenson and i was born in Tauranga, New Zealand. I have lived there my whole life untill now. I have only atteneded three schools, Matua Primary, Otumoetai Intermediate, and Otumoetai College. Art and sports have always been a part of my life since i was young. In the winter i snow ski, summer i wake board and water ski, and all year round i compete at taekwondo and skateboard.

As i have grown up i have always loved art, i would spend alot of time drawing when i was young. Even now i still love to draw but have found my passion for computer digital art. Right the way through college i stuck with the subject art design. From taking the subject i have learnt about the art movement but also alot about Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, and contemporary typography.

Through out my years at college learning about designers and what they have created, i have found my personal design inspiration. The company Ars Thanea (http://www.arsthanea.com/) has a team of digital design artists who do and have done design work for company's such as Coca Cola. Their work ranges from illistraions to 3d game design art.

Once i have finished studying media design at university my asbiration is to travel over seas to America. Getting a taste of what the world has to offer with design and art is what i would be looking at. I would like to work for a design company and gain experiance that i could bring back to New Zealand and apply in my own sence and style weither it be with my own busniss or working for a company.