Curated by Louise Tu'u, TOP 16 is the latest show from Auckland-based video artist Janet Lilo, a recent graduate of AUT’s Master of Art and Design programme.

The exhibition's title refers to an application used by bebo members which allows them to easily identify a user or group's most important and popular friends, family members and fans.

Curated by Louise Tu'u, TOP 16 is the latest show from Auckland-based video artist Janet Lilo, a recent graduate of AUT’s Master of Art and Design programme.

The exhibition's title refers to an application used by bebo members which allows them to easily identify a user or group's most important and popular friends, family members and fans.

Lilo manifests her inspiration from this virtual space by using it as a template for the installation-based works. TOP 16 is an exploration of these two spaces merged, with the gallery serving as a physical space for viewing, commentary as well as exhibiting current profiles of bebo members.

Given the recent media hype regarding the violent death of 17-year-old Augustine Borrell and the online surrender of the main suspect that was followed with a hasty closure to the suspect’s bebo website, TOP 16 seeks to highlight the overlap between public and private space: censorship of the individual and the community, appropriation of image and text, audience appeal and popularity and the wider context of popular culture and networking.

When: 5-12 October 2007, 10am-5pm (not open on the weekend)
Opening: Thursday 4 October, 6-8pm
Where: Gallery 3, 39 Symonds St, Corner of Symonds St and Mount St, Auckland Central