Unpopular Mechanics (2024)

Emma Smith: Living with Caves (2024)

(5-6 October, 2024) Emma Smith: The Municipal Gardens. Auckland: The Waiting Room, 2024.

Unpopular Mechanics:
Crossing Auckland for Emma Smith

Relying on Kylie the GPS voice
to route us round the roadworks 
at the entrance we drove into 
the campus found a parking place 
no payment needed after 4 pm 
walked over to the exhibition space 
past the table of refreshments quite 
a spread wine fruit-juice grapes chips 
dips then into the high L-shaped 
room

     Emma was around the bend 
three paintings on one wall the 
other facing them grey roiling clouds 
a few brave emblems flapping in 
the wind like shards of Pharaoh’s 
army drowned in the Red Sea 
caught as a Renaissance painter might
if they wanted to display their 
dexterity

         then after a few words 
with Emma handing her a book 
for Will my erstwhile publisher we 
went out past the kids walked 
over to the car and drove 
off on our way back home 
two hours from go to woe 
on the way out I waited 
for the red light for right-turning 
traffic rather than the free left 
turn

(7-9/9/24)

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Emma Smith: Even though you have lost your horse, don't pursue it
[oil on canvas] (2011)

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Tin Grew: Emma Smith (2011)