How do you photograph a piano that’s a piece of art and cannot be photographed as an exhibit because of copyright restrictions? You play it - because performers are artists and can be photographed using a piece of art.
Michael Parekowhai’s famous red piano, He Korero, is a richly ornamented Steinway piano. It was exhibited at the 2011 Venice Biennale and now has its permanent home at Te Papa museum in Wellington. In August/September 2014 it was on loan at Tauranga Art Gallery and was made available to pianists – would-be, budding and professional ones – for 15-minute public playing sessions.
Magdalena James had registered to play Chopin and Debussy on 17 August. She did so to the delight of not only a number of Poles who had come to listen but also to prove what a Steinway can sound like if the pianist is a pro.
Filling in for a no-show performer, Eva Niedzielski also used the opportunity and played a Polish folk tune, Kukuleczka kuka.
Michael Parekowhai’s famous red piano, He Korero, is a richly ornamented Steinway piano. It was exhibited at the 2011 Venice Biennale and now has its permanent home at Te Papa museum in Wellington. In August/September 2014 it was on loan at Tauranga Art Gallery and was made available to pianists – would-be, budding and professional ones – for 15-minute public playing sessions.
Magdalena James had registered to play Chopin and Debussy on 17 August. She did so to the delight of not only a number of Poles who had come to listen but also to prove what a Steinway can sound like if the pianist is a pro.
Filling in for a no-show performer, Eva Niedzielski also used the opportunity and played a Polish folk tune, Kukuleczka kuka.
