The Thousands

Sir Clement Freud went to New Zealand in 1978. When I asked the old sauce what he thought, he replied, "I find it hard to say, because when I was there it seemed to be shut."

I went to Joint Hassles this year and when my editor asked me for my art review, I replied, "I will find it hard to write that Michelle, because when I was there it seemed to have closed due to Northcote rent hikes. On the upside, we can run that Brendan Huntley piece again."

But Brendan can sit pretty this week, because the great dispossessed of Northcote and New Zealand are putting on a joint show at Hell Gallery. Joint Hassles, Melbourne’s gallery of no fixed address, and Gambia Castle, latterly of Karangahape Rd, Auckland, have organised an exhibition exchange! In the spirit of sharing, and putting on stuff at other people’s houses, the first of their two group shows is happening at Hell this week, and it features more than twenty artists.

People like Josh Petherick, Alex Vivian, Kate Smith, Christopher LG Hill, Lane Cormick, Rob McHaffie, Helen Johnson, James Deutsher – with their brothers in the ANZUS treaty – Dan Arps, Nick Austin, Andrew Barber, Fiona Connor, Simon Denny, and more.

The next show will be in New Zealand, but I haven’t checked the opening hours yet.