JAMES GILBERD

The No. 8 Wire poses a batch of questions...
A creative person answers...


What cities/towns have you lived in (or spent more than a few months in), beginning with your place of birth?

Only Wellington.

What are the earliest stories you remember hearing?

2ZB kids programme on Saturday morning: Flick the Fire Engine etc

What music was present and still memorable from your youth/adolescence?

Toy Love, Shoes This High, Wallsockets, The Cure, The Clash, Joy Div./New Order Buzzcocks, The Jam, Wire, The Fall, The Jam, The Who, Birthday Party, et al

For you as a creative person, who are three influential artists or thinkers?

Susan Sontag, William Eggleston, Andre Kertesz

What is your dream of happiness?

Live long and prosper

Who are your favourite or most admired figures from history?

John Minto, Norman Kirk, Keith Moon

Name three films that you consider profound, moving, or extraordinary.

Taxi Driver, Blow Up, Wings of Desire

What was your first real job? second? third?

Customs Dept, when I left school (3 years), servicing goldfish tanks (2 days), Photo retail (various, ages)

If you had to eat the same meal every day, what would it be?

Toast

Name a few books that you couldn't put down, would read again, haunt you still.

Samuel Delaney – Dhalgren,
HP Lovecraft – The Case of Charles Dexter Ward,
The Ffaferd & Gray Mouser stories by Fritz Leiber

What have you done, seen, experienced, or produced that was a disappointment to you?

Would’ve liked to make it as a musician, but took a wrong turn in early 80s

What was the most recent live performance you attended, and where was it presented?

The Brian Wilson performance of ‘Smile’ at Michael Fowler Centre

In one sentence, can you define art?

Stuff that artists do.

What word of advice would you offer an aspiring artist in your field?

Be there for the long haul – others will fall away.

Where would you like to live, but have yet to?

Dunedin

What would you like to do, but have yet to?

Go somewhere non-westernised.

Briefly describe a project you are planning for the future.

Build a glasshouse out of recycled windows, with a fishpond in it.

What one question would you add to this Query?


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH

Messed around with music for 20-odd years, starting off from about 6th form as a drummer in a punk band (Condemned Sector, later Neoteric Tribesmen), and continued in various originals, jazz, and covers bands until 1998. After completing Bachelor of Design degree, majoring in photography, at Wgtn Polytech/Victoria University, opened Photospace in Courtenay Place, with the idea of creating a space to show NZ contemporary photography, and as a photography studio to earn an income. We have branched into running photography courses and workshops. Have exhibited photography in various group shows and cafes. Aim to be able to write good fiction by the time I’m sixty (19 years to work on that).