Laconic things...

Bare forked things...

And small triumphal things...

But there's also something nearby that's powerfully distracting. It's the view from the gallery windows out over the demolition sites along Madras Street and behind High Street. The red zone views on the west side of the city tend to be a bit softer, with the Avon River and the Re:Start mall muffling the demolitions beyond. But looking towards High Street from Julia's space in the east there's an unsoftened view of the wreckage. It's the gap-toothed, dust-cloaked post-quake city, in wide screen and high definition. (Thanks to Nathan P for these photos.)

The guy bottom-right in the following image was flailing around with a sledgehammer, which seemed almost touchingly dainty in the context. Not so the big digger that has its head down between the buildings. Minute by minute it was knocking big holes in that familiar architectural vista. Tough viewing, with a special pang for anyone who cares about art in Christchurch. A sizeable chunk of the city's art scene used to have its home in this area.

Which makes us, it hardly needs saying, even gladder to be opening some new space for art in this part of town. See you there (on the other side).