Satellite Gallery is currently holding The Random Inorganic Art Collection, an exhibition of work by Spencer Harrington, aka Random.

Random’s work covers a range of different mediums, in a range of styles. This show includes paint, sculpture, collage, graffiti, comics and found objects, combined in all sorts of different ways. I could make a really weak snide comment here about his pen-name being well chosen, but I won’t. The highlights for me were ‘Lumberjack Attack’ and ‘Seismic Activity’, two sort of narrative pieces that made comic panels out of pieces of chopped up skateboard and number plate, respectively. Also the paint-nozzle popcorn bags are pretty neat.

People argue the case on both sides – either that putting graffiti art in a gallery setting is a good step towards legitimising it as ‘proper’ art, or that by taking it away from the streets you actually dilute whatever meaning or voice it might have. Both opinions have some weight to them, and I’m not going to try and solve the debate here. Regardless, the best of Random’s pieces have a playfulness and style that I think fits in either context.

This may be the last time Random’s work is on display here, as he is emigrating to Japan at the end of May. The show runs until the 5th of April and is well worth a look.

The Random Inorganic Art Collection
Satellite Gallery
Cnr Saint Benedicts St and Newton Rd
Auckland