Friday, January 26, 2007

Strippers


The invitation to the opening of artist-run gallery Gambia Castle at the end of the month in Auckland, marks a good time to remember Teststrip, another artist space run on spirit and determination. Teststrip opened in Vulcan Lane in 1992 and later moved to Karangahape Road. It closed in 1997. Teststrip made a guest appearance in Wellington in March 1993 for the exhibitions Teststrip on tour at Cubewell House and Suffer in July of the same year at the Hamish McKay Gallery. For the ‘tour’, the whole team drove down and stayed in Rachel McAlpine’s Sugar Cube apartment (she was in Japan). Danny Butt has written a brief history of Teststrip which you can read here.
Photos: Top left Daniel Malone (on the left) and Giovanni Intra organise an exhibition opening and Christmas dinner in the Vulcan Lane space in December 1992. Top Right. The Vulcan Lane sign. Bottom Left: Denise Kum’s installation at Cubewell House. Bottom right: Daniel Malone preparing for his opening performance at Cubewell House.