More about Christchurch

I visited COCA Center of Contemporary Art, an independent non-profit, devoted to contemporary art. I saw artwork by Hannah Riley who used materials like quills, seed clouds and cobwebs to build elegant art that stretches boundaries of what can BE art. Her work was beautiful! Do look at the link. Jude Robertson's, on the third floor, was very impressive. He created a marvelous soundscape; Ecological Score. One of the best I have ever heard. Also a piece called SPILL, made of tiny soap houses...I brought one home. COCA survived the quake virtually unscathed.

Christchurch Art Gallery is the public contemporary museum/exhibition space. Look up Andrew Drummond, a NZ sculptor who works with coal, spagnum moss, brass, glass tubes, mysterious motors! His book is JUST published and probably worth hunting down.

The Arts Center, formerly Canterbury College, is a great area full of artists, restaurants and galleries. Most of it has reopened since the earthquake, but most of the artists studios are still closed. One of the amazing artists I met was Marilyn Rea-Menzies a tapestry weaver. This woman is amazing. I strongly suggest you go to her blog both for the art and the progress on clean up after the quake.