Alonymous

Alan Robertson

Meet Alan who runs a gallery called “alonymous“, exhibiting his lifelong photography in Grey Lynn at 598 Great North Road. A great range of subjects from many places, digital prints $10 in size A3 – would have to be the bargain of the year. It’s a colourful neighbourhood, framed by a sushi shop at the left and a bric-a-brac (“Jo’s Stall”) on the right, all in the same building. A pragmatic fit-out concentrates the eye on the cradles of prints.

I noticed the distressed door leading from the back of the showroom to his private quarters, and he explained that it was a souvenir from a previous home around the corner (“the more distressed the better” – showing me some fine black and white prints of Irish houses in various states of repair). As I was about to leave, he caught sight of a bit of fluff on the rug – “we like it tidy – must get the Hoover”. A relic of yesteryear in perfect working order and in perfect harmony with the environment. Nice meeting you, Alan, the slower pace suits you!

Distressed

“We like it tidy”