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PRESS RELEASE:
We are pleased to present “sad, ugly, don’t bother”, an ongoing project by Melina Payne.

Named after a 2018 TripAdvisor review of the Eiffel Tower, “sad, ugly, don’t bother” invites MEANWHILE’s audience to provide the gallery with their thoughts, suggestions, feedback and criticisms – with the same unrestrained flippancy as that of a TripAdvisor review.

“sad, ugly, don’t bother” hopes to work as a continuation of MEANWHILE MONDAYS: Pilot Potluck; the first of a series of workshops in 2019, hosted at the gallery by MEANWHILE facilitators Melina Payne and Amber Clausner. The goal of Pilot Potluck was to create an open dialogue about art and creative practice over shared kai. What transpired were a series of conversations concerning the ways in which the attendees often felt intimidated, excluded or let down by both the galleries and exhibitions they frequented. In addition, many were hesitant to share their experiences in fear of being “wrong” and/or risking their chances of scoring a job or opportunity within the Wellington art sector.

These sort of anxieties do not exist on websites like TripAdvisor – which instead allow users to wholeheartedly and unabashedly critique the world’s many flaws behind the safety of their computer screen. “sad, ugly, don’t bother” would like to provide the same courtesy. From the 8th of January to the 9th of February, feedback forms will be available online at meanwhilegallery.com and onsite at 99/2 Willis street, Wellington. Melina asks for your thoughts – however short, long or unconstructed – in order to evaluate what MEANWHILE’s community needs from them in the wake of the new year.