Space for the artists to call the shots

The best-kept secrets can be the hardest to find. Hidden in downtown Auckland is one such secret - a new exhibition space called Rm 103.

Rm 103 opened in March, but the gallery has been operating under various guises for the past six years. Previously named Rm 401, it is run by four artists who are also its directors.

Rm 103 originated when the then-directors were still at art school. Nick Spratt, who runs the gallery with Lauren Winstone, Fleur Sandbrook and Kylie Duncan, recalls: "There was a general feeling the only way we were going to have any chance of showing our work outside art school was to take the initiative and find our own space."

They also wanted to exhibit work by those who did not have a large CV or were making art not traditionally accepted in galleries, including film, music and design. The focus changed over time, incorporating more well-known names into the programme. Rm 103 provided an opportunity for these artists to present work that was different from what they normally created.

To ensure a wide range of art is displayed, the exhibitions are typically only two weeks long. Last year more than 50 shows went through the space. These included work by locals as well as those from out of town. International guests included Dutch artist Jan van der Ploeg.

Primarily artists have approached the gallery requesting an exhibition rather than waiting to be asked. A consensus about who will be shown is then reached. "We all have quite varied tastes, we don't agree all the time, but we respect each other's choices and see it is healthy to take risks," remarks Spratt.

Similar galleries often charge to exhibit, but thanks to the support of Creative New Zealand and money from the directors, Rm 103 remains free. "We are in a unique position and we believe the work shown is much better because of it."

Artist-run spaces are prevalent overseas and Spratt sees Rm 103 as part of this international community. "There is a network of similar projects always keen to share ideas and encourage exchange. People come to stay on your couch and show in your gallery, with only a simple promise that one day you might get to go overseas, sleep on their couch and show at their gallery."

The example set by artist-run spaces such as the now defunct Teststrip and Fiat Lux has also been influential. "We had some great role models," enthuses Spratt.

Increasing the size of the gallery was one of the main reasons behind moving spaces - there are now four exhibition rooms instead of two. The expansion means a new programme of shows can develop. "After five years we felt the gallery was in danger of beginning to run like a bus timetable and wanted to find a way to bring more dynamics to it."

One new project involves giving an artist six weeks to use part of the gallery space however they want. Operating alongside the existing exhibitions, these shows will let an artist curate a show of their own work or that of others, or use it as a workspace for whatever they choose.

The first show for this new project is a collaboration between Natalie Robertson and John Reynolds. Entitled Roadworks In Progress, the exhibition evolved a couple of years ago when both artists featured in the Prospect 2001 exhibition at Wellington's City Gallery.

They discovered a similar interest in signage, especially roadsigns, and the meaning behind them. The six-week project at Rm 103 provides the perfect opportunity for these interests to be explored.

There is no set framework suggesting what the artists should show. The exhibition might change weekly, pieces might be added or the whole space reinvented. This allows the artists to investigate ideas on their own terms with a level of spontaneity not always found in galleries. There is also no demand for Robertson or Reynolds to show the kinds of work they are known for; rather, they can cover new territory. As Spratt concludes, "The artists call the shots."

Exhibition:


* What: Roadworks In Progress

* Where: Rm 103, Achilles House, cnr Customs St-Commerce St East

* When: to July 12; Thurs-Fri 1-5pm; Sat 12-4pm