Masterly works and mayoral portraits
The masterly watercolour by the visiting artist Joseph Zbukvic and Lisa Wang's "sheep" painting, a few pages separated from a string of revelations regarding increasing dissatisfaction with mayoral portraits (ODT 4.3.23), is hardly surprising.
Basic drawing skills and the sense of proportion demanded of a portrait painter are not valued in today's art world.
I had discussions some years ago with an Australian expert , regarding slipping or non-existent standards, and he was of the opinion that the base levels of competence, once taken for granted as the stock-in-trade of anyone claiming to be a competent or journeyman artist, were lamentably absent in both of our countries.
Joseph Zbukvic's observations about "dabbing" are very apt.
Confusion between the purposes of photography and painting, especially in watercolours, has brought about a generation of painters (well, amateurs at least), who timidly begin a work with a fixation upon detail and dabbing with tiny brushes, instead of painting in strokes (as opposed to smears), from a well visualised conception, preferably supported by detail sketches.
Mayoral portraits are presumably paid for out of the public purse.
So, as with all other ratepayer-funded endeavours, Dunedin's people are entitled to expect a base level of competence, and at least a bearable likeness as an outcome.
If that is so hard to facilitate these days in our city, it might be a good time to relegate further mayoral portraits' to the dustbin of history.
Ian Smith
Waverley
I agree that mayoral portraits should be up for debate.
The Dunedin City Council has more priorities to worry about than the expense and likeness of these paintings.
A 3 x 3 polaroid of the previous mayor Aaron Hawkins, preferably with him facing a wall, would be more than adequate.
No expense spared.
Neville McLay
Opoho
Rodeo coverage distresses
We were absolutely disgusted with your choice of cover photo in today's Otago Daily Times (6.3.23). How natural is that?
No animal should be treated in this manner.
We have noticed that your paper gives a lot of attention to rodeos. Cruelty shouldn't be advertised by your reporters.
Animals should be given the respect they deserve.
Glynis Sowman
Timaru
Shame on you ODT for putting the photo in Monday’s paper of a frightened bull in pain. Disgraceful.
Deborah Himburg
Alexandra
Three Waters
National leader Christopher Luxon’s attempt to placate the voters by allowing councils to control water infrastructure makes no sense.
In doing so, he is asking ratepayers rather than taxpayers to fund this.
About 20% of ratepayers are pensioners. For 60% of these, they have no, or very little income other than their pension, so it would clearly be unaffordable.
Three Waters should be controlled by central government and funded by taxpayers. Local councils would not be forfeiting assets: they would be divesting themselves of liabilities.
Ian Breeze
Broad Bay
Oamaru, Auckland, and the cost of infrastructure
In responding to Paul Hayward’s recent letter on Auckland Light Rail (ODT 6.3.23):
1) It is an uncomfortable reality that the tax-base of New Zealand is fundamentally situated “North of the Bombays”. With over a third of the population and well over half of its business, it is actually Auckland taxpayers who provide the funding used for infrastructure, including roading and rail through New Zealand, including to Oamaru. They would be perfectly in their “rights” to demand spending of some of this to fix their creaky infrastructure.
2) Looking at the impact of the recent cyclone on Auckland, including the effective “shuttering” of the harbour bridge due to wind gusts of only 80kmh, the appropriate question to ask would be “Is the projected $25 billion-$30 billion light rail project the most effective way to safeguard Auckland, and its critical role in the New Zealand supply chain?” I doubt that it is.
Given that the projected cost of a three-tunnel harbour link is circa $5 billion, that the Inner City Rail link seems likely to require an additional $1 billion, and that the rebuild of Napier will also likely require significant funding, surely the best option would be to abandon the light rail project and then to expedite the additional harbour crossing, enhance the CRL and to rebuild Napier. The Coromandel could use a hand as well. This would still leave the substantial amount of $15 billion in the kitty.
Ginny Matthews
Coromandel
Census squared
I am wondering if the sorcerer's apprentice is currently on the staff of the 2023 census? To date we have received two census packs addressed to our household, each one containing a different private access code.
John Noble
Mosgiel
