Take a peek into Blair's bizarre and beautiful world. In a remote corner of New Zealand's South Island, tucked away among the last remaining tracts of native forest, lies a little-known place of wonder. It is the life's work and extraordinary creation of inventor, artist and self-confessed tinkerer, Blair Somerville.
For over ten years Blair has single-handedly owned, operated and ceaselessly expanded the Lost Gypsy Gallery, his wonderland of homegrown wizardry and a playground for kids and adults alike. Using only recycled materials, Blair takes DIY to artistic extremes. His creations are ingenious, interactive, and often hilariously impractical. They take many shapes and forms and share an uncanny ability to amaze, entertain and inspire.
A film experiment by Joey Bania, made with funding from the BBC Worldwide Young Producers' grant. http://www.joeybania.com/
For the last decade, self-confessed tinkerer and “organic mechanic”
Blair Somerville has owned and operated the Lost Gypsy Gallery, a
sprawling menagerie of kinetic sculptures, automata, and electronic
doohickies. Located in in a remote corner of New Zealand’s South Island,
the gallery has become Somerville’s life work and an offbeat tourist
attraction where visitors can experience first-hand his interactive
“Fine Acts of Junk”.