KEY POINTS:
The incessant hum of a tattoo needle filled Auckland's High St yesterday as Australian-based artist Hayden Fowler became a marked man in the name of art.
Sitting in the Crane Brothers shop window, Fowler endured hours of pain while local tattooist Marvin Learning created a portrait of two huia on the artist's back.
The session was the second of three taking place this week as part of Fowler's installation for the Auckland Festival, AK07's, Windows exhibition.
The exhibit, which Fowler described as a "performance installation", is being photographed through the week to create a secondary exhibition.
Since Fowler and Learning began working on Monday, the pair have drawn an intrigued crowd of onlookers.
Passer-by Trevor Morris thought the display was amazing and was fascinated by the concept.
"It's brilliant. I could happily watch it all day."
Auckland barrister Golriz Ghahrman was more than a little surprised when she looked up and saw the bare-chested Fowler being tattooed.
"It's very dramatic. I don't find it offensive but I felt like I was invading their private space," she said.
But not everyone was so keen. On Monday, a passer-by stopped to ask Learning if the tattoo was real and stormed off in disgust when he said yes.
"A few people have been grossed out but that's quite good," said Fowler. "You know you're doing something right when you get an adverse reaction."
Learning will complete the tattoo tomorrow.
The finale of the Windows exhibition will take place tomorrow between 5 and 7pm, where all 10 artists will be on site with their displays.
* The sun wasn't shining, but things were looking brighter for pianist Grant Winterburn during his second lunchtime concert at Red Square yesterday.
A solid crowd formed to watch Winterburn's two-hour set - in stark contrast to his first concert on Monday, which attracted a handful of onlookers.
"It was very good today despite the awful weather," said Winterburn. "Plenty of people came down and listened and it was lovely to see them out there."
"I'm a professional so I understand how things go. I took it in my stride," said Winterburn of Monday's turnout. "It was the first day and the weather was a bit dodgy."
Though Winterburn was pleased with yesterday's crowd, he said he was looking forward to playing for the sell-out audience at last night's Falling in Love Again show with Jennifer Ward-Lealand.
Demand for the show has been so great, a second performance is scheduled for Tuesday, March 20.
Winterburn will play another lunchtime concert at Red Square tomorrow, from noon to 2pm.
What's On
Today
* Nic McGowan and Duncan Sarkies present the final night of "tragicomic sound-montage" Instructions for Modern Living at the Herald Theatre tonight at 7pm
* Auckland University's ensemble in residence the New Zealand Trio play at St Matthew-in-the-City this evening from 6pm.
Tomorrow
* Mother/Whaea Tama/Son opens at the Musgrove Studio, Maidment Theatre. Directed by Heath Jones, the play looks at NZ stories of the mother/son relationship.
* Nitin Sawhney and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra create a soundtrack to the 1929 silent film A Throw of Dice at the Civic.
