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Audience enjoys avant-garde performance

Published 15 December 2009, Posted in Northland

Philip Patston and Tony Lewis performThrobbing base lines, wailing blues harmonica, and reverberating beatnik spoken lyrics filled the main exhibition hall of the Whangarei Arts Museum on Thursday 3rd December celebrating United Nations International Day of Disabled Persons.

Philip Patston, ex comedian and ex vegetarian was sponsored by DPA Northland, Whangarei Art Museum and Tiaho Trust to deliver an edgy avant-garde performance of Poetry on Music accompanied by Tony Lewis on the harmonica.

The performance punctuated the end of a successful Access Art exhibition curated by Scott Potham which included ‘Sweet As’, a multi-sensory installation and ‘More than Looking’, an installation by Glenn Heenan.

The diverse audience included, trustee of the Whangarei Art Museum Councillor Warwick Syers, members of the disability community from all over Northland and the general public.  Philip Patston received multitudes of applauds and encores from the audience who thoroughly enjoyed his performance.

Anna Wild from the Art Museum said that is was “A profoundly moving and so very human performance.  I laughed, cried and was reminded of the immense frailty in us all. Thanks so much to the trust and to Phillip for this special evening.”

Tiaho Trust CEO Jonny Wilkinson said that it’s so refreshing to have a cutting edge, funky performance from a contemporary artist as apposed to the usual institutionalised drab attempts to celebrate the unique diversity of disabled people.


Audience watched Philip perform Philip Patston, Anna Wild and Warwick Syers Ngahue and Debbie Davis and Tiaho Trust trustee Cecelia O'Dell


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Recent Comments

kim silvey on 07 July 2011 says:

Minnie’s presentation on Be Accessibe was truly inspiring. disappointing to see those most in need of ‘enlightenment’ were absent….a great build up for the RWC and way beyond so up to those who did attend to be vocal! and spread the Be word!

From the entry 'Into battle for the disabled'.

kim silvey on 06 June 2011 says:

this exhibition is stunning - a credit to the artists and their work and so worth a visit…

From the entry 'I take my hat off'.

Rosie Gallagher on 05 May 2011 says:

Sounds like a fab event for a great cause! We’ll be hosting a dinner! smile

From the entry 'Dine at Mates Rates for MS - and Win!'.