Spaceships and lamps fill vacant space

Walking stick in hand, an elderly man shuffles up to a large window on New North Rd. He squints and presses his face to the glass, admiring an obscure collection of glinting spaceships. From a brass UFO to a bulbous rocket with red tail lights, the work of Grey Lynn artist Andrew Palace is one of several exhibitions that have found residency in the old motorcycle shop in Kingsland.

As Mr Palace stands among his science fiction-inspired creations, passersby pause, some enter intrigued, others look unsure what to make of the glittering installation.

"I needed window space because at night they sparkle," says Mr Palace of his electric lamp art. "I've got 45-odd lamps here."

The artist has also invited fellow creatives to show their work amid his lamps in the old building bought by a trust a few months ago to be refurbished and leased. A spokesman for the trust, Jack Brian, says the building began life in 1924.

"It was proposed as a billiard hall and shops. Then it was used as a chemist at one point and from about 1974 it was a motorbike shop.

"It's great to see it used for this, but, commercially, it won't stack up in the long term. It's been an ad hoc sort of thing," he says of the word-of-mouth way in which each exhibition has found its way to the site.

Mr Palace, whose creations share space with paintings by Walter Moore, light sculptures by Dorian Brown and blown glass pieces, says finding exhibition space has become increasingly difficult. "I was doing this sort of thing before anyone really called it 'pop-up' space, but it's become popular with designers if they've got extra stock and there's an empty building."

While The Aucklander visits, a retro motorbike is backed in to take pride of place at the front entrance. "It's good to get a bike back in an old bike shop," says Mr Palace.

The bike's owner, Mike Triggs, says he bought his second bike from the store that occupied this spot, when he was 17. "It's a little bit sad that it's not a bike shop anymore but it's good to see it being used."

The building will be kept largely as it is but will undergo some strengthening work and the veranda will be refurbished.

"It's a lovely old building," says Mr Brian. "It's of an era in which plenty of other buildings like it in Auckland have been pulled down. The trustees want to keep it in its style but give it a new lease on life."

He says this is likely to be the last exhibition held there as refurbishment is due to start in a few weeks.

Metal as anything

The spaceships exhibition runs until August 5 at 424 New North Road, Kingsland. For more information visit  http://metalas.co.nz/

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