Simon Devitt is an acclaimed New Zealand architectural photographer (and a fantastic curator of memes). We caught up with Simon to see how he’s keeping himself busy during the current lockdown.
HOME: What’s the best part of your view from home?
Simon Devitt: Best part of my view is the afternoon sun pouring into our bedroom while I give it the thousand-yard stare out to the clouds and hills beyond. There’s something about daydreaming that I’ve always given time to. It feels like a form of meditation or like a quiet wee space to escape to in between the ongoing and always. I love it, and a view out a window helps with that enormously.
H: What are you reading?
SD: I always have a few books being kept warm at any one time. My one and only subscription is to the Paris Review journal. Such a joy when it arrives in the post. Filled with art, poetry, interviews and writing; its a deep dive into the unknown, meeting people I’ve often never heard of, looking into other worlds. I ADORE it. The other book I’m just about to finish is the Kazuo Ishiguro novel Klara and the Sun. His writing is so elegant and his story telling has such a refreshing clarity. My third warm book is a book about looking at photographs called SEE / SAW by Geoff Dyer. Geoff is hugely knowledgable and very funny!
HOME: What are you watching?
SD: Dee (my partner) and I are currently immersed in series 2 of Rake on Netflix. We’ve heard it drops off a bit after season 2 so we’re making the most of the dry Aussie humour and the wonderful cameo appearances by some very good actors! Charlie, Margaux (Dee’s two young daughters, 5 and 6) and I are into an Amazon Prime series called ‘Just add magic’. It’s about a magical cookbook in the hands of three friends. We love it!
HOME: What are you cooking and/or baking?
SD: Fortunately for me (especially during lockdown) Dee is a VERY GOOD COOK and BAKER!! I may be unrecognisable after this lockdown but I’ll be VEEEERY HAPPY. We have a menu we create for ourselves and the girls each week consisting this week of: home-made burgers, pork belly, bangers and mash, home-made pizza, home-made bolognese, hot dogs, you get the idea! Baking this week is a very well proportioned caramel slice and a delicious avocado and chocolate slice. Food and times like this make for significant memories. A couple of good times surrounding the delicious food include a ‘makeover’ by Charlie and Margaux and sparkler fun at dusk on the street!
HOME: What’s inspiring you right now?
SD: Endless inspiration and entertainment reading the happy reactions from friends that follow my meme curation. So much laughter for everyone involved! Really needed especially at times like this! What memes you say? Follow me on instagram and find out. It’s a really important time to stay connected.
My most important source of inspiration is my partner Dee. Watching Dee balance being an incredible mother, hard, hard worker, homeschooling weapon and lover fills me with joy and inspires me to be the best me! Love you Deanna, thank you xxx
