The magician at Spark

A film 15 years in the making finally got off the cutting room floor for the Spark festival this week.

Wintec tutor Paul Judge was on hand to present his documentary film  Don Driver – Magician which is  screening nationwide with The New Zealand International Film Festival.

Judge started filming the documentary in 1999 when he travelled to New Plymouth, spending two weeks with artist Don Driver accumulating the bulk of the footage used.

Judge said that during filming he became close friends with Driver and being involved with how he operated made it an unforgettable experience.

“It was just fantastic to meet him,”  Judge said.

During his time at Art School in Auckland, Judge became a fan of Driver’s work. Judge said his art teacher used to talk about Driver and that is when he became aware of him and also had the opportunity to meet him in 1984 when he saw his art teacher at a café with Driver.

“I kept seeing these little shows of Don’s work in galleries, they were just knock outs for me,” Judge said.

The film shows Driver’s passion in his work, touching on animal conservation, identity and sexuality. It also shows archival footage of Driver in his younger years working at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth.

Some of the Driver’s work used found materials and  included industrial materials hanging from ceilings and  out of children’s prams, animal skulls on dolls,  as well as paintings and wall art.

Judge said  Driver’s work has also influenced his way of thinking about art and helped him connect with pop-art and cultural values.

“I loved his work, it was so colourful and vibrant. Its power as a critique, I think that’s the important thing that art is to me, I think Don’s work definitely works as a critique, ”  Judge said.

Judge said Don Driver – Magician has been travelling the  country with the New Zealand International Film Festival and has been shown in Auckland and Wellington  with great reviews from well-known artists.

Some years back Judge was a speaker at Spark Week. A couple of years after speaking he landed himself a job with the School of Media Arts  at Wintec. Mr Judge said it has been great being involved with teaching his passion and still being able to make films.

“I would like to think Wintec could become a hub of quality of documentary making and develop an international reputation for making films from here,” hesaid.

Unfortunately Driver passed away in 2011 but has left a legacy of over six decades of assemblage sculptures and pop art.

“Art’s not a political message, he’s (Driver) not putting an agenda out there, he is putting out feelings that make you think of potential realities and what is happening to our world,” Mr Judge said.