Toi Tauranga Art Gallery — Attraction in North Island

Oh, what a delightful little escapade I had at this art gallery! It was a carnival of colors and creativity that sent shivers down my spine. The Joker's Gallery of Grins, as I like to call it, is unlike anything you've ever seen before. I assure you, it's far from your typical snooze-fest museum!

As I stepped through the entrance, I was greeted with chaos and madness that even I couldn't resist. The way the paintings seemed to mock the traditional norms of art was simply marvelous! You won't find any pretentious landscapes or saccharine portraits here – only a riot of imagination!

And the artists, oh my! They must be a bunch of lunatics like me, because their masterpieces exuded a kind of madness that I wholeheartedly appreciate. The brush strokes danced like maniacal laughter across the canvas, and the colors clashed like a symphony of chaos. I could almost hear the canvas scream in joyous agony!

The curation was just as brilliant as the artwork itself. Each room seemed to play a part in a grand theatrical performance, and the transitions between them were as unpredictable as my own plans for Gotham City. The Joker would be proud!

To top it all off, the staff were dressed to kill (not literally, of course, I do that part myself!). Their snappy and mischievous demeanor added an extra layer of charm to the experience. They truly embodied the spirit of the Joker's Gallery of Grins.

So, if you're tired of mundane art and crave an adventure that will make your heart race faster than a ticking bomb, this gallery is the place for you! If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the elusive Joker himself. And trust me, a night spent at this gallery will leave you with a smile you won't ever forget. Ha-ha-ha-ha!

Remember, dear readers, "Why so serious?" Embrace the madness and let your inner Joker revel in the twisted beauty of this gallery. Bravo!

Rating: ★★★★★ (Five maniacal smiles...

I didn't find the gallery to be bad, but it could be improved.

The space itself is fairly small. The ground floor has enough space for 1 feature exhibition, plus whatever is in the large entry atrium. The upper level wraps around the atrium, and is more suited to displaying varied works rather than a collection.

I visited because of an exhibition called Light Touch. This comprised of 3 large, interactive works. Squidsoup's "Submergence" was definitely worth the visit. Brian Knep's "Healing Pools" was pretty but bland. Chin-En Soo's "Hueue" was quite forgettable.

Some of the other works on display were pretty good, but others were marred by lack of attention by the gallery. For example, one video-based work had the mouse cursor sitting near the middle of the screen. Another work had several little booths, each lit a different colour of the rainbow. Each was supposed to have a different smell, but the oil diffusers were empty in all but 1 of the rooms. These results could have been really rectified.

Entry is free, but a donation...

Last year when I visited they had a great display on. Lights and sounds and smells that my 3 year old thoroughly enjoyed. Just a few weeks back we went back with friends and we were shocked at what we saw. Downstairs was a display of distorted people all bowing down or in contorted positions of prostration toward a very Masonic symbolism and upstairs there was a lady dancing with just a cloth over her bits but you could still see her nipples. The lady assured the kids it was safe to go in as it was a dancing room but then as my friend came out she noticed a sign saying for mature audiences only. Kids should not be seeing this sort of thing. Breastfeeding is different to having a sexualized image being shown. Please in future make displays kid friendly or have a sign big enough or clear...