Cancel your plans, the only place you need to be tonight and tomorrow evening, is Art in the Dark. After last year's successful launch, Art in the Dark is back for a second year bigger and better than ever.

A community event, held at Ponsonby's very own Western Park, sees the park transform into a community hub, lit by installations, short films and live performances. Challenging both local artists to create illuminating art works that are powered by clean, eco-friendly energy. Headed up by the vivacious Celia Harrison (whose passion for this event radiates), we've never seen Western Park so alive, as it was last year with Art in the Dark's various installations.

We can't wait to go.

11 & 12 November
Western Park
Ponsonby
Auckland

www.artinthedark.co.nz

Chan Hwee Chong can do something rather remarkable. He can conceive a picture by drawing one continuous circle complete with different pressure points. Watch as he completes the work below.

from on .

Gavin Worth's sculptures are quite remarkable. By bending black wire, he is able to create the sense of 3d line drawings, that are light enough, to move gently in the breeze. He explains his wire sculptures 'tell stories of simple human moments: a woman adjusting her hair, a face gazing from behind tightly wrapped arms, a mother cradling her baby...the honest, unguarded moments are the ones [he] finds to be most beautiful.'

American born sculptor Sean McGinnis has created an installation of spatial sculptures entitled 'The Webmaster' from which an array of colourful strings collectively form to create geometric shapes, altering the space around them. We are fascinated by the fact that they are constructed entirely by hand, they look like they almost defy gravity and appear to convey a sense that they are living objects which peacefully inhabit within the natural environment. McGinnis’ art continues to pay tribute to the artworks’ surrounding environment, whether outdoors or in a studio. McGinnis also experiments with lighting within these environments playing with dramatic man-made and soft natural lighting in order to maximize the visitors’ visual experience. The artist, who is  highly influenced by architecture and digital graphics is currently working on his next project, “The Cathedral of the Wind”, set to be unveiled in 2013.

 Story by Sarah McKenzie

Photographer Matt Nicholson has devised an alternative to the legendary Leica camera with his new project, a printable Paper Lie-ca M3 Pinhole Camera. Playing on the concept of making the desirable accessible, the paper camera is “just one of several functional products that represent status symbol objects everyone wants.”

Simply print out the design online, chop, fold and tape into shape, then add a role of film and you’re shooting pinhole-style photography. While it may not quite live up to the fidelity of its legendary namesake, this fully functional ‘Lei-ca’ camera will cost you the same as an A4 printout, so you’ve got nothing to lose by trying it out.

Story by Louisa Penney

Never has the expression 'Made in Italy' been so fitting for an embodiment of style and international flair. This month, Peroni Nastro Azzurro proves that nobody does it quite like the italians. The quintessential Italian lager house unites six of the world’s most iconic Italian style leaders in a unique photographic exhibition at Somerset House.

In recognition of the 150th anniversary of Italy as a unified nation, ‘Masters of Style: Celebrating The Stories Behind Italian Fashion‘ features imagery, alongside personal reflections and stories, from fashion greats Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Gucci, Missoni and Prada.

Curated by leading fashion commentator, Colin McDowell, the exhibition, made up of six individual pavilions, brings together a compelling collection that offers rare insight into some of the most significant members and defining moments in italian fashion.

Story by Louisa Penney

A giant typographic installation named CNJPUS TEXT by Japanese artist Ryo Shimizu, sees typography take centre stage in a gallery environment. This 15 foot by 41 foot installation showcases what perhaps an Asian/English hybrid font might look like. A staggering 2,500 words painted by the artist scatter onto the floor bringing the flat artwork to life. The words are actually a hybrid of Roman and Chinese characters and the artist explains that the exhibition is actually 'about Japan's culture of appropriation, in which everything originates from somewhere else.'

We've been in love with the work of Rob Pollock for sometime now. Pollock has honed the art of resurfacing items such as bikes, with a wood grain finish. Traditionally the wood graining technique was used in the restoration of classic cars and vintage hot rods, Rob applies the same technique to custom bike frames. 

Creative agency L012 comprised of artists Angelo Bramanti and Giuseppe Siracus transform existing objects and materials with a nod to surrealism. Preferring to work with waste materials and recycled objects,  this piece of work 'Through the Barricades' utilises these elements with existing records reworked into haunting faces. They work across a range of disciplines including painting, sculpture, installation and graphic work.

To view more of their work go here.

The new Salvador Dali Museum by international practice HOK opened its doors earlier this year on January 11th in St Petersburg, Florida. The 68,000 square foot building hosts the biggest collection of Dali's work in the world. HOK explains they were very conscious of the artworks when designing the building:

'Our challenge was to discover how to resolve the technical requirements of the museum and site in a way that expresses the dynamism of the great art movement that he led. It is important that the building speaks to the surreal without being trite.'

Spiral and circular forms evident throughout the building, from staircases to windows and walls, all taking their lead from the artist's own work. The main atrium space features a spiral staircase made from poured in concrete to take visitors up to the third floor galleries.