The Night Gallery

Independent filmmaker, curator and writer Martin Rumsby is collaborating with the Depot Artspace (and their offspring city site, Satellite Gallery) for a screening series of historic and contemporary independent New Zealand films.

The events include a double bill on the 7th October: a director’s introduction to The Maintenance of Silence by Miami based New Zealand artist William Keddell and The Everyman  by legendary director Brent Hayward.

The October 14th presentation, Kiwi Animation, features visually inventive and sophisticated animations by local film artists including James Robinson, Miriam Harris and Raewyn Turner. All Night Gallery events will include artist appearances and surprise screenings and guests.

The Maintenance of Silence
William Keddell

On November 18, 1982, Neil Roberts, a 22 year old Aucklander daubed a washroom wall with the graffiti slogan ‘WE HAVE MAINTAINED A SILENCE CLOSELY RESEMBLING STUPIDITY’ then placed a bomb outside the State Security Computer Centre at Wanganui – where files are kept on all citizens. The bomb blew Neil Roberts to pieces. The film’s central character, Eric, sets out to trace Neil Robert’s movements and motivations.

From talking to Neil Robert’s friends and family Keddell was able to form an image of Roberts as somebody with intelligence, highly literate, politically aware and certainly not the maniac depressive he was portrayed as in the media. Keddell hoped to question the political dimensions of the act and what the graffiti statement actually meant.
The film received the Critics' Choice in both the Los Angeles Times and L.A. Weekly.

The Everyman
Brent Hayward

A moving visual sermon for the marginalized, the dispossessed and forgotten members of society.

Future Night Gallery screenings include:

Experimental Animation
7pm. Thursday 14th October

Including work by Miriam Harris, Jill Kennedy, Raewyn Turner, Dan Inglis, James Robinson
and others.

Martin Rumsby has long been associated with experimental film. In the early 1980’s he set up independent screenings in cafes and art galleries throughout New Zealand. He also established an independent film distribution service and annual national touring film programmes.

In 1985 Rumsby was the recipient of an Air New Zealand/Arts Council Travel Award to North America. Rumsby purchased 35 New Zealand films and for the next ten years toured his film programmes through North American media arts centres, universities and art galleries. The further he travelled the more films he bought, returning to New Zealand every three years to screen North American avant-garde films.

The Depot Artspace is open and inclusive and encourages engagement in all art forms. They offer a variety of facilities, services and events that both support the creative community and provide opportunities for public appreciation, such as; galleries, both in our Devonport base and Satellite Gallery in Auckland Central; The Creative People's Centre, an arts law and resources site; Depot Sound, a recording studio and rehearsal room; MORPH Magazine, an online arts and culture magazine; Jam Radio, an online radio station for community and the
arts; venues and meeting rooms.