This is a free listing service. Email whatson@artnews.co.nz with your exhibition listings for inclusion in the Autumn 2012 issue (period covered: March 1 to May 18) by 21 January 2012

Northern
Central
Southern
International

EXHIBITIONS

Northern

A Fine Line Gallery, Matakana Mona Townson Nov 5–Dec 3 Matakana Valley Dec 10–Jan 8 Auckland Studio Potters Jan 14–Feb 5 Mark Lewington Feb 11–Mar 4

Anna Miles Gallery, Auckland CBD Johanna Pegler to Nov 19

Art By The Sea, Devonport 1987, Christian Nicolson Nov 19–Dec 9

Art + Object, Newton Important Paintings and contemporary art auction Nov 22

Art in the Woolshed, Tawharanui Open Sanctuary, East of Warkworth 10th Anniversary show, 60 artists including sculpture www.tossi.org.nz Mar 10–18

Artis Gallery, Parnell Spring Selection, Paintings and Sculpture to Nov 12 Warren Viscoe & Christine Hellyar, Traversings Nov 15–Dec 11 Xmas Show, paintings and sculpture Dec 13–Feb 5 John Blackburn Works on Paper Feb 7–26 Pippa Blake Conflicted Feb 28–Mar 25

Artspace, K’Rd Sudden Noises and Gestures: Ed Atkins, Sean Gratten, Charlie Sofo Mezzanine Space: Dominic Oldrey, The awful shadow to Nov 26 New Artists Show Dec 16–Feb 18

Artstation, Ponsonby I is for Invisible…I is for Inclusion, Toi Ora Art Trust group exhibition to Nov 12 Artstation student exhibition series 2011 Nov 22–Dec 17 Collective Conversations, recent work by Spark Centre Artists Collective Feb 1–18 The Anatomy of the Pacific, curated by Angela Tiatia Feb 22–Mar 10

Art Upstairs, Kerikeri Cloak, painting and #D works, invited artists and group members Nov Present, paintings for Christmas December Time and Tide January Hot Stuff February

Auckland Art Gallery Simultaneously Modern: Three Installations from the Contemporary Collection to Nov 27 Toi Aotearoa to Dec 31 James Mackelvie’s Gift to Auckland; From Andy: Gifted to the archive to Feb 6 I’m just like a pile of leaves, Kate Newby to Mar 3 Whizz Bang Pop to May From French Chateau to Kauri Canopy: The Gallery’s Architecture ongoing; Property of a Gentleman: Sir George Grey’s paintings to Feb 29 The Art of Transformation ongoing Muka Youth Prints Dec 3–5 John Pule, Hauaga (Arrivals) Dec 17–Mar 25

Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa Sculpture in the Gardens; Garden of Delights 2, medal artists including guest artist Paul Hartigan to Feb 12

Auckland Town Hall, Concert Chamber Rita and Douglas, adapted from the letters of Rita Angus by Dave Armstrong, Nov 22–26

Audio Foundation HQ, K’ Rd Stella Corkery, on the way to being silver Nov 5–26

Bath Street Gallery Peter Panyoczki matter means–sign matters to Nov 5

Black Asterisk, Ponsonby Notes from a New York Travel Diary, Jane Simcock Nov 24–Dec 11 Land Versus Sea, group show, Nov 13–23 Art in the Light Dec 11–12 Winterland, the seasonal Black Asterisk group show Dec 13–24

Bledisloe Walkway Light Boxes, Auckland CBD Tane Mahuta, A.D. Schierning from Nov 18

Brick Bay Sculpture Trail, Snells Beach, Warkworth Terry Stringer, Richard Mathieson, Jim Wheeler, new works Nov Gregor Kregar, Luke Jacomb; Shrunk, small scale sculpture Dec Kon Dimopoulos: The Blue Trees, Artist Project Jan David McCracken, new sculpture Feb

Cable Bay Vineyards, Waiheke Island Maximus, Phil Price to April

Corban Estate Arts Centre, Henderson 25th Waitakere Trust Art Awards, Nov 18–27 The Salt Group, Alison Granville, Ann Palmer, Jayne Thomas, Mary Botica to Dec 4 Summer School www.ceac.org.nz Jan 16–20

Depot Artspace, Devonport 3.15, Westlake Girls High School Teachers and Students; Depot 15th Anniversary Exhibition Nov 5–17 Beauty meets the Bizarre: group show Nov 19–Dec 2

Elam School of Fine Arts University of Auckland, 20 Whitaker Street and Elam B, 5 Symonds Street, Elam Graduate Show Nov 26–27

FHE Galleries/FHE Project, Auckland CBD Emily Siddell, Elapse, new installation project dedicated to the life of Sylvia Siddell Nov 5–30

Fingers Gallery, Auckland Fingers Annual Group Show to Nov 11 Materials into Ideas/Ideas in Materials Feb 7–24

Flagstaff Gallery, Devonport Submerged to Nov 17 Fane Flaws and Jo Blogg, Ids & Animals Dec 1–Jan 3 Dagmar Dyck Mar 1–Mar 27

Fox Jensen Gallery, Newmarket Lisa Crowley: Printed Mind to Nov 5 Geoff Thornley Nov 8–Dec17 The Truth Lies Tell Feb 7–Mar 17

Fresh Gallery, Otara Mud, Douglas Bagnall to Nov 26

George Fraser Gallery, University of Auckland Elam Graduate Show Nov 26–27

Gow Langsford Gallery, Lorne Street, Auckland CBD Tony Cragg to Nov 12 White Light Nov 16–Dec 10 Summer Group Exhibition Dec 14–Jan 2012

Gow Langsford Gallery, Kitchener Street, Auckland CBD Allen Maddox to Nov 12 Post Pop Nov 16–Dec 10 John Pule Dec 14–Jan 2012

Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland CBD Crown Lynn, pottery for the people Nov 4–Jan 14

Hangar Gallery, Whangarei Mike Francis, Exquisite Landscapes to Nov 11 Miniatures Show, annual exhibition Nov 18–Jan 31

Harbourview Sculpture Trail, Te Atatu Peninsula Mar 3–25

Hokianga Art Gallery Souvenirs from Hokianga – Memories of Northland to Nov 20 Northtec Diploma of Applied Arts Graduation Show Nov 23–Dec 12 Hokianga Artists Summer Exhibition featuring Will Ngakuru Dec 15–Jan 22 Waitangi Exhibition Jan 25–Feb 19

Hopkinson Cundy, Cross St Ruth Buchanan Nov Joshua Petherick Dec

International Art Centre, Parnell Important Early and Rare Art Auction Nov 10, 6.30pm Contemporary and Collectable Auction Dec 8, 6.00pm Summer Exhibition Dec 8–Jan 29

Jane Sanders Art Agent, Auckland CBD Jan Nigro: Lady Chatterley’s Lover to Nov 19

John Leech Gallery, Auckland online gallery www.johnleechgallery.co.nz

Kaan Zamaan Gallery, Kerikeri Rachel Miller, new works Nov 13–Dec 11 Te Aroha Weavers Dec 16–Jan 27 Chris T Wilkie, new works Feb 5–26 Less is More, small works of all exhibiting artists over 10 years Mar 3–31

Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens, Kaukapapapa Exhibition 2012, 60 sculptures in garden trail setting from Nov 19 Imagine the Land Project www.imaginetheland.org Nov 19–May

Lakehouse Arts Centre, Takapuna Association of Bookcraft NZ; Denice Symons Nov 1–20

Lopdell House Gallery, Titirangi Portage Ceramic Awards to Dec 4 Nigel Brown: Travel to Travel; McCahon House: Five Years On, 15 Residency Artists Dec 9–Feb 12 Curiosity Cabinet: Ben Beattie to Dec 4 Sarah Walker–Holt Dec 9–Feb 12

Masterworks, Ponsonby Paul Maseyk; Thinkspace: Liz Sharek; Jewellery Box: Stephanie O’Neill Nov 3–23 Ann Verdcourt; Handshake Jewellery Exhibition; Thinkspace: Liz Sharek Nov 30–Dec 18 John Parker; Jewellery Box: Nadene Carr Feb 19–Mar 10

McCahon House, Titirangi Wed, Sat, Sun 10am and 2pm except Xmas Day, Boxing Day. Check on www.mccahonhouse.org.nz

Melanie Roger Gallery, Herne Bay Gavin Hurley Nov 2–26 Summer Group Show Nov 30–Dec 22, Jan 25–Feb 18 Megan Hansen-Knarhoi and Simon Esling Feb 22–Mar 17

Michael Lett, Newton Michael Parekowhai to Nov 12

Monterey Art Gallery, Howick Clare Reilly Nov 10–30

Myers Park, Auckland CBD Hau te Kapakapa – The Flapping Wind, Rachel Walters ongoing

Nathan Homestead, Manurewa Arts Open Day Nov 5 E Tu Te Maaota – The Young Sapling Stands Nov 17-Dec 11

nkb gallery, Mt Eden Glenys Brookbanks, paintings Nov 3–22

Northart Gallery, Northcote Pre Christmas $100 (or less) Show to Nov 27 Fran Marno, Dorina Jotti, painting and photography; Lydia Turner, new photography Nov 7–27

Objectspace, Ponsonby Ann Verdcourt: Still Lives to Nov 5 7UP Nov 10–19 Nimamea’a: The fine arts of Tongan Embroidery and crochet Nov 26–Dec 22 Manon van Kouswijk & Fabrizio Tridenti Feb 8–Mar 10

OREXART, Auckland CBD Regan Tamanui, Personal Heroes-stencil works of rugby greats to Nov 12 Peter Wichman, Ordinary Mysteries Nov 15–Dec 3 Small Works, Richard McWhannell, Richard Lewer, Evan Woodruffe Dec 6–23 Tupupu, Sio Siasau Feb 14–Mar 3 David Weir, New Paintings Mar 6–24

Papakura Art Gallery Double Rainbow, Tiffany Singh, Tessa Laird to Nov 19 Steve Lovall, Dane Taylor Nov 26-Dec 24

Parnell Gallery Michelle Bellamy Nov 1–15 Connecting Threads, Matt Gauldie and Sofia Minson, Nov 22– Dec 6

Piece Gallery, Matakana Piece and Love, Annual group Christmas show, Jeff Thomson, Mark Mitchell, Gary Horton, Sue Hawker, Morgan Haines, Janet Green, Crystal Chain Gang, Emma Camden, Dominic Burrell, Penelope Barnhill, John Parker Nov 12–Dec 4

Pierre Peeters Gallery, Parnell Christmas Group Show Dec 1–Dec 24

Sanderson Contemporary Art, Parnell Martin Selman Nov 1–20 Collaborative Work from Yoshiko and Shintaro Nakahara, Clockwise Nov 22–Dec 4 Christmas Group Show, Advent 2011 Dec 6–Jan 22 Tracey Walker, Point of Reference Jan 24–Feb 5 Josephine Cachemaille, I Can Change Feb 7–Feb 19 Group Show, Restraint Feb 21–Mar 4

Markus Hofko’s Truth in the exhibition Flight of the Hofkos: A Double Feature at Satellite Gallery, Newton to 20 November

Satellite Gallery, Newton Prudence MacDougall: Chimera Nov 22–Dec 10 Tina Frantzen, Entr’acte Dec 13–24

Seed Gallery, Newmarket Stafford Allpress and Rebecca Thomson to Nov 19 Alter Piece: 30 artists, 300 original works $80 each Nov 25–Dec 10 Sarah Williams Dec 14–Feb 4 Natural History, group exhibition Feb 8–25 Writ Large, group exhibition Feb 28–Mar 17

ST Paul St Gallery, Auckland CBD AUT Art & Design Graduation Festival Nov 9–11 End of Year Fair Dec 2–3 International Photography Workshop Jan 13–15 Clemens von Wedemeyer, The Fourth Wall Feb 23–Mar 23 The 2012 Curatorial Season, Gallery 3 Feb 29–Apr 21

Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland CBD Peter Robinson Nov 8–Dec 3 Christmas Show Dec 6–21 Selina Foote Feb 7–Mar 3

Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts, Pakuranga Matt Henry to Nov 6 The Reading Hall: Lisa Crowley to Nov 7 Eugene Hansen: Root Mean Square, Te Tuhi Project Space: Tahi Moore, Te Tuhi Billboards: Bepen Bhana Nov 26–Feb 26

Tim Melville Gallery, Newmarket Wayne Youle to Nov 26 Group Show Nov 29–Dec 23 Gallery closed Jan Elliot Collins, new work from Paris and Rotterdam from Feb 8

TSB Wallace Arts Centre, Hillsborough Julia Morison, Jeena Shin to Nov 26 Philip Trusttum to Jan 29

Two Rooms, Newton Julia Morison, Meet me on the other side; Joyce Campbell, Marianas to Nov 26

University of Auckland, Epsom Campus Summer Art Workshops Jan 7–11 www.cce.auckland.ac.nz

Uxbridge, Howick’s Creative Centre Thou shalt not Art on Sundays, Manukau School of Creative Arts to Nov 16 Class Act Dec 2–14 Muka Youth Prints Dec 16–17 Masterclass Jan 20–Feb 1 Estuary Artworks 2012 Feb 17–Mar 8

Village Arts, Kohukohu, Hokianga Patchwork Patience, Far North Quilters to Nov 10 Louisa Rene Geddes, Eden Series Nov 12–Dec 8 Lise Strathdee, Temporeal, Outpost Hokianga Dec 10–Jan 19 Rachel Miller, New Works Feb 4 Freedom Play, Josie Carrad Mar 3

Voyager Maritime Museum, Edmiston Gallery of Maritime Art, Central Auckland Shipbreak: A Biology of Steel, Claudio Cambon, photographs, Permanent Collection to 31 January; Kermadec, February

Waiheke Community Art Gallery, Waiheke Island Walker & Hall National Art Award; Euan McLeod, Gregory O’Brien, The Sea of Where is was We Went to Nov 14 The Christmas Story; Emma Wright; Kiya Nancarrow Nov 18-Dec 12 The Artists’ Table; Requiem for a Bach; Sarah McKenney Dec 16-Jan 9 Voyagers: Oliver Stretton-Pow; Waiheke Artists Jan 13-Feb 6

Warwick Henderson Gallery, Parnell Amy Melchoir, Scratching the Surface Nov 9–26

Webb’s, Newmarket Important Works of Art Dec 6 A3 Artworks under $1,000 Dec 15 Zhang Xianyong, exhibition Nov 4–18 A2 Art Feb 21 Important Works of Art Mar 27

West Coast Gallery, Piha Monique Endt, Visions of the West to Dec 4 Ivar Treskon, Natural Selection Dec 10–Jan 15 Zeke Wolf, Birdshead Revisited Jan 21–Feb 19 Mandy Tomsett–Taylor, I got Married in Piha Feb–Mar

Whitespace, Ponsonby Scott Gardiner to Nov 12 Greer Twiss Nov 15–Dec 3 Tiffany Singh, Andy Leleisi’uao & Christmas Show Dec 6–24 By appointment only Dec 25–Jan 24 Summer Show Jan 24–Feb 11 Regan Gentry Feb 14–Mar 3

Window, General Library Foyer, University of Auckland Why Bother Building Scales, Christina Read & Matthew Crookes, PDF Sculptures, AGGTELEK Nov 16–Dec 10 www.window.auckland.ac.nz

Wynyard Quarter The Flooded Mirror; Silt Line, Rachel Shearer; Wind Tree, Michio Ihara; Sounds of Sea, COMPANY ongoing

Yvonne Rust Gallery, Quarry Arts Centre, Whangarei Rust Ramble, outdoor exhibition ongoing

Zealandia Sculpture Garden, Mahurangi West now open by appointment

Central

Adam Art Gallery,Victoria University of Wellington Behind Closed Doors: New Zealand Art from Private Collections in Wellington; in camera: a project series around and about collecting to Dec 18 SNAPSHOTS: Four takes on Documentary Photography Jan 24–Apr 15

Harry Watson, Edward Gibbon Wakefield, mixed media. From his exhibition at Aratoi Museum, Masterton, 10 December 2011 to 11 March, 2012

Aratoi Museum, Masterton Mind to Mind, Carol Bauer to Nov 6 Bohemians of the Brush – the Pumpkin Cottage Impressionists to Nov 20 Infrastructure: Tony Nicholls, sound sculpture to Dec 4 Rongomaiaia Te Whaiti & Terry Te Tau, installation by recent graduates of Massey Maori Visual Arts course Nov 5–Dec 11 Journey: Annette Dunnage Roy, new paintings Nov 12–Dec 11 Taren Wood, new paintings Dec 17–Jan 29 Harry Watson, retrospective and new works Dec 10–Mar 11 Wairarapa Review Dec 17–Mar 18

ArtsPost Galleries, Hamilton Fifty Ducats a Piece, Philip Carbon, screenprints Waiprint 2011, Waikato Printmakers to Nov 28 Ceramic, Brian Gartside, Naturally Black, Robyn Lloyd; Reuse, Recycle, Rejoice, Daniel Kirsch, screenprints on reused materials Dec 2–Jan 9

Bartley + Company Art, Wellington Rachel Rakena Nov 1–26 Andre Hemer Nov 29–Dec 22 Sofia Tekala-Smith, Lisa Walker and Areta Wilkinson Jan 31–Feb 25 Mary-Louise Brown Feb 28–Mar 24

Black Barn Gallery, Havelock Green Man, Deborah Smith, Mark Smith, John Reynolds, new photographs and paintings Nov 12–Dec 4 Freeman White, Road to the Top Dec 8–Jan 8 Paratene Matchitt Jan 12–Feb 5 Ricks Terstappen, Jeff Thomson, Staal, Feb 9–Mar 4

Calder & Lawson Gallery, University of Waikato Koru Tuputupu: Redefining Kowhaiwhai, curated by Karl Chitham Nov 5–Dec 16

Carterton Event Centre Wairarapa Review VII Salon de Refuses Dec 17–Feb 5

City Gallery Wellington Prospect New Zealand Art Now Nov 26–Feb 12 The Obstinate Object: Contemporary NZ Sculpture Feb 24–Jun 10

Civic Gardens, Lower Hutt Shapeshifter Sculpture Exhibition Feb 25–Mar 18

Courtenay Place Lightboxes, Wellington CBD Imaginary Geographies, Elaine Campaner, Alex Dorfsman, Jae Hoon Lee, Kate Woods, curated by Claudia Arozquetaa Dec 8–Apr 2

Creative Tauranga Gallery Nine: a journey through mental illness and addiction, Dylan Nov 11–29

Expressions Arts & Entertainment Centre, Upper Hutt Of Colour: Indigenous photography from Aotearoa and Mexico to Nov 20 The Doll Show Nov 25–Jan 22 Rockers and Rollers: Prints from the collection of Aratoi Museum and The Rutherford Trust Collection Jan 27–Mar 18 Memory: Tutors and staff at The Learning Connexion Jan 13–Feb 19

Gilberd Marriott Gallery, Wellington Keith Abbott, Ancestral Mythology and other recent paintings 25 Nov –24 Dec then from Jan 9

Govett–Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth Len Lye:All Souls Carnival to Nov 27 Vincent Ward: Breath: the fleeting intensity of life; Old Genes: Artists reading Len Lye Dec 10–Feb 26

Hamilton Gardens Pavilion, New Zealand Painting and Printmaking Award 2012, tickets for gala night wsa@wsa.org.nz Feb 17–Mar 1

Hastings City Art Gallery Rita Angus: Selected Works to Nov 20 Whole in the Heart, Kaupapa and the Furniture Designer Nov 5–22 Andrea Du Chatenier, Chain of Being Dec 3– Feb 6

Heritage Gallery, Cambridge Maureen Allison Dec 2–Jan 15

Mahara Gallery, Waikanae Small & Beautiful takeaways, Real NZ Festival; Te Wananga O Raukawa to Nov 13 Celebrate Kate, Whakanuia a Kate; Jo Conroy, Brenda Banks, Dale Scott, Whanganui Glass School graduates Nov 20–Jan 15

Mark Hutchins Gallery, Wellington Figure & Ground, Terry Stringer Feb 23–Mar 17

Massey College of Creative Arts Blow 2011 Creative Arts Festival Nov 5–18 www.creative.massey.ac.nz

McNamara Gallery, Whanganui Laurence Aberhart, America Nov James Lowe, new work Dec – Jan Mark Adams, new work Feb Derek Henderson, new work March

Quay School of the Art, UCOL Campus, Whanganui Making Worlds, BFA Painting Yr 2 to Nov 4 Gossage & Williams, BFA Photography; Print Out, BFA Printmaking Nov 1–19 Yr 1 & 2 Video Nov 3–19 3 Ladders, BFA graduates; Sideways Here We Come, BFA Yr 3, Nov 5–19

Page Blackie Gallery, Wellington The Watchers, Paul Dibble to Nov 5

Pataka Museum of Arts and Culture, Porirua Norm Heke: OMG’s Maori Gods in the 21st Century, photography to Nov 27 Grahame Sydney, Down South – Recent paintings to Feb 6

PAULNACHE Gallery, Gisborne Geoff Tune, Tracing the Season to Nov 27 Bill Riley, The Gentleman’s Hour Nov 25–Dec 24 Rob McLeod, Slipping in the Blue Chip; Richard Stratton, The Sanctified Sinner; Sanjay Theodore, Fantasm Jan 6–28 Megan Hansen–Knarhoi Feb 3–25 Brian Campbell, and launch of book by Dr Damien Skinner from Mar 2

Ramp Gallery, WINTEC, Hamilton Survey Hamilton: David Cook and others to Nov 9

Red Barn Gallery & Studio, Rangiriri, Waikato Off the Main Road, mixed media, Karin Barr, Stone and Glass, Judy Hadfield, Glass Graeme Hitchcock, Glass and Bronze, Michelle Judge, Glass Soenke Dwenger, photography Nov 27–Dec 4

Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington Peter Madden to Nov 19 David Cauchi Nov 24–Dec 22 Edith Amituanai Feb 2–Mar 3

Rotorua Museum of Art and History Heather Straka: The Asian to 27 Nov The Vault: Neil Pardington to Dec 4 Blomfield in Wonderland, curated by Damian Skinner and Rebecca Rice; A Catalogue of Wonders curated by Damian Skinner to Feb 19 Bohemians of the Brush Dec 3–Feb 5 Brian Brake – Lens on the World Dec 10–Apr 22

Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui Joanna Braithwaite: Significant Others curated by Jenny Bornholdt and Gregory O’Brien to Nov 13 Everyday Irregular, group exhibition to Dec 4 Titowaru’s Dilemma, Marian Maguire to Feb 12 The Imaginative Life and Times of Graham Percy to Jan 29 Fancy Fool’s Flight, The Crystal Chain Gang, Jim Dennison, Leanne Williams Dec 10–Feb 26 Neil Pardington: The Vault Dec 17–Mar 4

Solander Works on Paper Gallery, Wellington Margaret Silverwood: New prints and drawings; Kelvin Mann, new works to Nov 26

Statements Gallery, Napier A Feeling of Order, new oils on canvas on board, Francois Aries Oct 7–30 Retrospective and Tribute to Sarah, Katie Brown, Karen Ellett, Carmen Simmonds pay tribute to Sarah Courtney–Plant Nov 18–Dec 11 Nic Scotland Mar 29–Apr 22

Suite Gallery, Wellington Ans Westra, Washday at the Pa to Nov 26

Tauranga Art Gallery KELCYTaratoa: CrisisAndIsolation; World Press Photo 11; Glen Hayward: For Want of a Nail to Nov 6 The Imaginative life and times of Graham Percy to Nov 13 Kermadec: Nine Artists explore the South Pacific to Feb 12

Te Manawa Museum, Palmerston North Te Ao Huriuiri from Nov 7

Te Papa, Wellington Collecting Contemporary to end Jan Collecting Contemporary: New selection of works including three major works by Jim Allen Feb to June Peter Stichbury: A Potter’s World to June

The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt Wallace Art Awards 2011 to Dec 4 100 Bikes Project: Part 1, Scott Eady to Feb 5 Gordon Crook: 18 Maritimes, tapestries Nov 5–Feb 5 Bedazzled: Royal NZ Ballet Costumes, designed by Kristian Fredrikson Nov 26–Mar 4 Local Knowledge, Andrew Ross, Ans Westra, Dan Arps, Fiona Hall’s Living Halls, Simon Faithfull, Julian Priest Dec 17–Apr 22 Teresa Margolles: So It Vanishes curated by Claudia Arozqueta Feb 25–May 20 Shapeshifter, Civic Gardens Feb 25–Mar 18 Hit the Wall: Sound Tracks, Catherine Griffiths ongoing

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Wellington The Makers of Modern New Zealand 1930–1990, curated by Brian Easton Nov 17–12 Feb Adam Art Award Feb 22–Apr 10

Thermostat Gallery, Palmerston North Tom Armstrong, paintings Keith Grinter glass to Nov 10

Heather Olesen, Latitude37 from Refraction: outdoor glass sculpture exhibition 2011 at The Sculpture Park @ Waitakaruru Arboretum 2 October to 13 November

The Sculpture Park @ Waitakaruru Arboretum, Tauwhare, Waikato Summer: Sky above, earth below, curated by Andrew Clifford Nov 20–Mar 4  Imagine the Land Project www.imaginetheland.org Nov 19–Mar 4

Waikato Museum, Hamilton Annual Group Christmas Show, Bold Horizon National Contemporary Art Award to Nov 6 Collected Fictions, curated by Kim Paton & Gareth Williams to Nov 13 Purakau: Myths and Legends to Feb 7 Waiclay National Ceramics Awards Dec 2–May 27 Peter Collis Mar 2–27

Waikato Society of Potters, Hamilton Of Many Parts, Bruce Dehnert Workshop www.waiclay.taris.co.nz Nov 26–27

Wallace Gallery, Morrinsville Waiclay and Ceramic Masters Exhibition, Katherine Smyth, Steve Fuller, Chris Weaver, Barry Brickell; Mac’s Mad Mugs, Simon Leong, Peter Lange Nov 24–Jan 10

Wellington Museum of City and Sea Death and Diversity, Mandala of Life and Death, installation, Imagine the Land Project www.imaginetheland.org Nov 24–Jan

Whakatane Memorial Complex Molly Morpeth Canaday Art Award Jan 27

WHMilbank Gallery Wanganui Remembering Neville Mawhinney to Dec 4

Southern

Arts in Oxford, Oxford, Canterbury Neil and Lindsay Hey to Nov 27

Ashburton Art Gallery Muka Youth Prints Nov 9 Painting the View, Constable, Turner and British Landscape Watercolourists 1760–1860 Dec 10–Jan 22 The Asian: Heather Straka Dec 10–Mar 11

Blue Oyster Art Project Space, Dunedin Jenny Gilliam: Frank; Cara-Ann Simpson: Geo Sound Helmets; Emma Febvre–Richards: The Rituals of Control to Nov 12

Brett McDowell Gallery, Dunedin Laurence Aberhart Nov 18–Dec 8 Jason Greig Dec 9–23 Martin Thompson Feb 10–Mar 1 Patrick Hartigan Mar 2–22

Dunedin Public Art Gallery Ralph Hotere and Bill Culbert: Pathway to the Sea-Aramoana to Nov 20 Jane Venis: Gymnauseum to Dec 11 Fiona Pardington: Pressure of Sunlight Falling to Jan 22 Back in Black to Jan 30 Beloved: Works from the Collection; Frances Hodgkins: The French Connection to Apr 1 Ruth Watson, Myriad Worlds ongoing

Dunedin School of Art Muka Youth Prints Nov 6

Eastern Southland Gallery, Gore Muka Youth Prints Nov 5

Forrester Gallery, Oamaru Muka Youth Prints Nov 8

Gallery 33, Wanaka Where Angels Dare to Tread, Jane Mitchell Nov 4–Nov 24 Rural Landscapes: Don Binney, JS Parker, Louise McRae Dec 2–22 Summer Show January Anna Muirhead: trans-plant series; A Place for Birds, Katie Thomas Feb 3–23 All Aboard: Barry Clarke: Sculpture, painting and jewellery

Hocken Gallery, Hocken Collections, University of Otago, Dunedin Ralph Hotere: Zero to Infinity to Feb 18 (gallery closed Dec 24–1 Jan) All things to All Men, Kushana Bush, new work from the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship Feb 25–Apr 14

Jonathan Smart Gallery, Christchurch Jude Rae, Nov Group Show Dec

Lake Wanaka Centre Muka Youth Prints Nov 7

McAtamney Gallery, Geraldine The Lecture Series John Badcock Nov 11–Nov 25 Stations of the Cross 2010 John Badcock Jan 22–Apr 10 Modern and Contemporary Art: Focus on Portraiture by John Badcock, Susan Wilson, Helen Badcock; James Robinson: Mixed Media, Susan Badcock, photography ongoing

Milford Galleries, Dunedin Karl Maughan, Toni McKinnon, Neil Frazer ongoing through summer

Milford Galleries, Queenstown John Parker, Neal Palmer to Nov 16

Millennium Public Art Gallery, Blenheim Claim to Clay – Take 2 Joanna Fieldes, paintings, Fran Maguire, ceramics, Steve la Plant, photography Nov 5–Dec 4 Blast, Pat Hanly: The painter and his protests Dec 10–Jan

Papergraphica, Christchurch Marian Maguire, Titokowaru’s Dilemma Nov 9–Dec 10

Reflections Art Gallery, WOW Museum Nelson Draw the Line: Astrid Visser, Liz Palmer to Nov 13 The Sun & the Stone Angela Talley, Ian Bowell Nov 15–Dec 13 Sanctuary: Group exhibition Dec 14–Feb 13

RH Gallery, Upper Moutere, Nelson Niki Hastings McFall & Lonnie Hutchinson to Dec 8 Madeleine Child & Philip Jarvis Dec 10–Jan 19 Raewyn Atkinson & Ben Webb Jan 21–Feb 22

Southland Museum and Art Gallery, Invercargill Muka Youth Prints Nov 4 Malu Minar, Art of Torres Strait Islanders Dec 15–Apr 1

The Diversion Gallery, Picton Kathryn Madill, new paintings to Dec 11 Summer Exhibition, new works by Don Binney, JS Parker, Wayne Seyb, Michael Smither and others to Feb 5 Michael Smither, New Otago Paintings Feb 9–Mar 18

The Suter Art Gallery Nelson DIONOIA: A Diorama of Paranoia, Brit Bunkley, Eddie Clemens, Peter Madden, Ben Pearce, David Ryan, Peter Trevelyan, Ronnie van Hout Nov 19–Feb 6 Richard Parker: Master of Craft Dec 17–Feb 12 Paul Winspear: Ceramics Feb 11–Apr 1 Scott Flanagan, Ruth Watson Feb 18–Apr 1

Yealands Estate Marlborough Gallery, Blenheim Purely Pastel, Pastel Artists NZ National Exhibition Mar 31–Apr 15

International

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Picasso: Masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso Paris Nov 12–Mar 25 New Contemporary Galleries featuring John Kaldor Family Collection to May 2012

fortyfive downstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne Mike Hewson, Under Standing Loss, 29 Nov–Dec 10

FotoFreo Festival, Fremantle Prison, Perth NZ photographers including Mark Adams, Joyce Campbell, James Lowe, Richard Orjis, Greg Semu curated by Zara Stanhope March

Gallery of Modern Art, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane Matisse, Drawing Life Dec 3–Mar 4

Museum of Old and New Art, Hobart, Tasmania Monanism (extended) ongoing

Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney Primavera to Nov 13 closed for renovations to early 2012

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne 10 Ways to look at the Past, 10 Contemporary Australian Artists including Richard Lewer to Feb 2012

Photoquai 2011, Musée Quai Branly, Paris featuring James K Lowe with McNamara Gallery, Wanganui to Dec 4

Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney Figure & Ground, Terry Stringer Nov 12–Dec 7

THE END Artspace, Brooklyn, New York Queen of the Hill, Lorene Taurerewa Dec 14–22

Yes Gallery, Brooklyn, New York Watercolours…and other things, Lorene Taurerewa, paintings and drawings Nov 15–Dec 20

spaces

postcards

From Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin, Cairns, Dresden, New York

upcoming

Future exhibitions and events

auction scene

John Perry reports on a quiet Spring in the auction houses.

sketches

News from the art front

awards, prizes and residencies

Artists on a winning streak

reviews

Rob McLeod, True Kiwi Content, 2004, oil on plywood. Image: Stephen A'Court Photography

Figuring it all out

Wellington painter Rob McLeod’s exuberant caricatures of stressed office workers, cowboys, banshees and ogres leap off the walls and into the room. Dan Chappell reports on the organised chaos of these biomorphic figures.

The good thing about the recent figurative cutouts of painter Rob McLeod is that there’s no shortage of visual hooks – except as visitors to the recent Auckland Art Fair found when they walked into the PAULNACHE Gallery stand, those riffs can go on… and on… and on. Gallery director Matt Clarke opted to give McLeod free rein in his space throughout the fair – and the daily parade of McLeod’s menagerie of the weird, the wonderful, the uptight, the unbuttoned, the spook from the back of the wardrobe, Tweety Bird, Mickey Mouse, a few squirting orifices, and everything in between marched out of the box. Judging by the crowded stand, McLeod had struck a chord – both with his old buyers keen to re-engage, and with new fans who were enchanted by something quite different from what else was on offer at the fair.

So, where has McLeod’s mad mélange sprung from? The answer is a convoluted one, as McLeod recounts. He trained at the Glasgow School of Art, graduating with a Diploma of Art, Drawing and Painting in 1969. “They had this very formal, academic style of teaching based on figuration – we started off drawing light-bulbs, Dinky Toys, then from plaster models, and by the third year we graduated to life models. 
I hated the whole four years I was there, and fought against it. The moment I left art school I dropped figuration completely and started pushing into abstraction. I’d seen an Alan Davie exhibition in 1966 and a de Kooning show in 1967, and was absolutely swamped by what I’d seen.”

Having rebelled against the system in Glasgow, McLeod realised his chances of exhibiting there were slim, so he migrated to New Zealand in 1972, and with contacts via his then brother-in-law, artist Rob Taylor, he gradually found his feet in the Wellington art scene. “I came here confused, but found my feet here via Davie and de Kooning – there were elements of me I had to find, and at the same time get rid of their influences – so I did it by hitting abstraction. At the time the art scene here seemed to comprise of either international abstractionists or regional realists, and being an import, I fitted into the former camp.”

He explains his mid 1970s series, ‘Grids and tartans’ weren’t about tartans, just as his largest grid work, Lots of little landscapes (now held in the Te Papa Collection) wasn’t about landscape. “The tartan wasn’t anything to do with tartan; it was an excuse to make an abstract painting. I worked through that stage, then got into splatter painting in 1978. They were vastly successful, deliberately beautiful paintings, which were obviously influenced by Pollock and the English painter Ian Stephenson. But after a couple of sellout shows I decided I didn’t want to get pinned down painting that style all my life. I was very aware of the pitfalls of success, and being a modernist thinker, I started pushing off into different areas of abstraction.”

Left: Lots of Little Landscapes, 1977, oil on canvas. Image courtesy of Te Papa Tongarewa. Right: Rob McLeod in his studio. Photo: Tom Teutenberg

For a short period nothing worked for McLeod, then he met Auckland gallerist Petar Vuletic. “Just how much Vuletic guided me I don’t know, but I moved into minimalist abstraction, which occupied me for about six months. Realistically there were really only four decisions you had to make – the size of the canvas, the shape of the canvas, the colour of the work, and the size and direction of the brushstroke. It just wasn’t satisfying, so I started to shape the canvas and then the canvas went on the floor, leaned on the wall and overlapped. This took me in a different direction, with the floor and wall works picking up both landscape and figurative references.”

Throughout the 1980s and early 90s McLeod continued with these semi-sculptural, thickly coated works, applying the paint, which took months to dry, with a 12-inch paste brush. Then he reached a point where he was spending longer making the shaped, complex stretchers than actually painting them, so he switched to an iconic Kiwi product, plywood, and has used it ever since. The ability to cut the plywood into almost any shape meant that his works, while still mainly abstract, became more organic and biomorphic. Noses, hands, elbows and arms started to appear, and though the drawing marks in the paint were still unresolved, something not unlike Ripley’s Alien was struggling to burst through the surface.

In 1999 he made an ‘odd’ group of paintings he called the Shelf series, which was “Little shelves with daft still-lifes and painted-over plastic bottles – that sort of thing – stuck on. And as I was drawing up these shelf-shapes I drew one that looked like Mickey Mouse ears, and I automatically thought, ‘You can’t do that’ – and then I thought, ‘Here I am – someone who’s fought all my life against being told You can’t do that,’ so I went ahead with a few small paintings, and once I had the ears, you see eyes, a nose and mouth, and so Meet Mutant Mickey was born – my major transition work – and by 2002 all my work was completely figurative.”

Mickey and his crew hit the ground running – a couple of shows at Wellington’s Bowen Gallery in 2001/2 had Mickey centre stage, then slowly McLeod developed his pastiche of vaudeville-meets-Looney Tunes characters with an overlay of imagery and visual hooks from his early life in Glasgow.

Rob McLeod with studio installation, The Village Idiot, Minimalist briefcase set, 2009/2010, oil on plywood. Photo: Murray Lloyd

In Dandini Comes Clean, the artist’s book published by PAULNACHE to coincide with the Auckland Art Fair, McLeod’s recent work is displayed in all its riotous exuberance. While the earlier works, like True Kiwi Content and Marking Territory (both from 2004), display a frenetic, jostling, leering palimpsest of heads, limbs, orifices, organs and excrescences – including a tartan-tongued Mickey-rat in a kilt, a giant-footed, mini-breasted Frankenstein and more bums, tongues and teeth than should be allowed on a gallery wall – his recent paintings display a more considered dialogue between his protagonists, though it could be argued that any conversation between a terrified Tweety Bird and a luridly-taloned ghoulish banshee lurking at its shoulder would in all likelihood be one-sided. This dichotomy of light and dark (as in Tweety and banshee with headache, 2009) is a familiar device of McLeod’s, and many of his figurative groupings sport a lurking dark presence, be it banshee, black-hatted cowboy villain, or just a dark, shapeless, ectomorphic blob insinuating itself through the work.

And the appearance of comic and cartoon characters has also increased, as McLeod explains in his 2006 artist’s statement, “The cartoon-inspired characters are familiar and initially endearing. They are sometimes benign and harmless but more often aggressive and with a dark underside. They can be unpleasant and violent but, as in a cartoon, nobody stays hurt or feels real pain. This is a painted reality. Everyone recovers.”

Fittingly, one of McLeod’s favourite villains, Badjin – a cowboy-hatted, black silhouette with only eyes and grimacing teeth visible – harks back to a comic strip from his youth. Scottish cartoonist Bud Neill created Lobey Dosser, a square-jawed Scottish sheriff keeping the peace in the American Wild West, and his nemesis, Rank Bajin (which is loose Glaswegian for ‘bad ‘un’), who was a similarly-endowed black eminence.

His other motifs can be more elusive. Ties and briefcases feature, which can be “emblems of subservience or power, depending on what’s in the briefcase, or the pattern on the tie,” McLeod says. “But to me the little man wearing a tie and clutching a briefcase is a sign of drudgery, not of power.”

Stressed worker with banshee, 2009, oil on plywood. Photo: Murray Lloyd

Cowboy hats hover and take off, morphing into flying saucers. Critics are depicted as part mad-dog, part cheesy, subservient sock-puppet; pirates are caught cross dressing and stressed workers leap, half-naked out of shopping bags or slump pigeon-toed, puffing on their asthma-inhalers.

In the past five years McLeod has been keen on containers, and his dealer Matt Clarke remarks, “There’s been an explosion of suitcases, briefcases, wardrobes and boxes in the work, and the way we presented his work at the art fair was an extension
of that.”

There was no shortage of bags and boxes on the stand. Mickey Mac and the Ghost of Countries Past unfolded out of a plaid-lined briefcase. Hiding in the cupboard had a grimacing figure in bloodstained overalls pouncing out of a yellow coffin with a red nightie hanging off the lid. At the art fair installation McLeod and Clarke juggled the figures daily, changing the interaction between the characters.

“I like other people to take over how the characters relate,” says McLeod. “I produce the work; they put the images together. I had one image of a cowboy with huge six-guns and when you put that next to Tweety Bird there’s a cartoon element, but if you put it next to a nude the Freudian implications are just so funny and so crass. I wouldn’t set it up that way in a show, but if somebody else wants to, that’s fine. I like pushing the boundaries of installation and letting people move the works around. I like to hand over control.”

And in his show at Auckland’s Bath Street Gallery a month after the Art Fair, McLeod paraded another comic-strip of characters fresh from his fertile imagination. Titled The Three Graces Struggle with the Goochi Handbag, he presented more cowboys, batmen, banshees and ogres with a few extra twists. As well as allowing his trademark interaction between the figures in Exquisite Choices – The Three Graces, he plays on the Surrealist game ‘exquisite corpse’ where artists added to a work and the previous artists’ contributions were hidden from them. In McLeod’s work the top and bottom halves of the figures are interchangeable, allowing the viewer to create their own work.

Exquisite Choices – The Three Graces, 2011, oil and enamel on marine plywood. Courtesy of Bath Street Gallery

“My big ambition is to create a public gallery show where all the works are moveable and interchangeable, and the visitors can create their own works – it sets up a marvellous challenge,” he comments.

In the show he has also included several extremely small works, some on canvas, others cut-outs. Though being the artist he is these are not dashed off in an idle moment. “There is two summer’s work in the cut-outs,” he explains. “I like very small and very large works, and I work as seriously on the small works as the large ones. To me these little works can confront then embrace the viewer, pulling them in. I want to get the same intensity in the small paintings as I get in a large cut-out wall-work.”

Despite all the sculptural and installation elements of his recent work, McLeod ultimately sees himself as a painter. “I like the old fashionedness of painting; I like its hands-on nature; I like the crudeness – the shit on the floor. I’m trying to bring back into my work everything I’ve ever enjoyed.”

Slipping in the Blue Chip, by Rob McLeod is at PAULNACHE Gallery, Gisborne, 6 – 28 January, 2012.

Lauren Lysaght’s The Nita Gini Collection at City Gallery Wellington, 2010

All in good taste

Auckland artist Lauren Lysaght makes work that is captivating, edgy and full of dark humour. She talks to Virginia Were about her recent homage to Crown Lynn.

When I visited artist Lauren Lysaght at her studio in an old Helensville bank, she showed me installation photographs of her 2010 City Gallery Wellington exhibition The Nita Gini Collection. I photographed her with her beloved pug, Sitwell, on her lap and we discussed her love of making and her magpie tendency to collect redundant or abandoned materials and objects as part of the process of her sculptural and object-making practice.

Lauren Lysaght and Sitwell. Photo: Virginia Were

It’s necessary to use both these descriptions – sculptural and object making – when discussing her work because, like the artist herself, it defies easy categorisation and creates its own – often darkly humorous – category-bending terms of reference. Usually domestic and fairly intimate in scale, it references the tradition of decorative, collectible objects of desire found in the home – and this is especially the case with The Nita Gini Collection, which is a tender and beautiful homage to her Italian grandmother Nita Gini who owned a prized Crown Lynn swan vase.

“I’ve always wanted to do some work around Crown Lynn because I’m fascinated by its place in New Zealand society, and I’m also fascinated by the fact that something that was very much part of your life becomes a fashion or a trend later down the track,” says Lysaght.

Tender though this work may be, there are darker and more ambiguous forces unleashed in this idiosyncratic array of objects. Instead of cups and saucers, for instance, there are funeral urns, crowns sprouting strange, beaded protuberances (a pun on the Crown Lynn emblem) and swans – all of them fashioned not from china but from far less noble materials – plaster of Paris, cardboard, polystyrene and other low rent craft materials, which seem to mock the notion of good taste and discernment usually associated with the act of collecting. The three swans are linked with gold chains, recalling ornaments from the 1950s that had similar chains, and they represent the lineage shared by Lysaght, her mother and her grandmother. The funeral urns, titled Roydon Tiny Tots Cat Urns, have little cat faces on them, taking off Crown Lynn’s nursery ware, which was made in the mid 1960s for McKenzies chain stores. Lysaght also created plinths and furniture for the ‘collection’, using theatrical materials such as fake leopard skin fabric, wood veneer and found objects. Adding to this sense of theatricality are the pink walls of the gallery and a floral curtain, (made from – among other things – pink crimplene) in which Crown Lynn Crown dinner plate patterns take on a new life.

Details from The Nita Gini Collection, mixed media, 2010. Photos: Andrew Beck and courtesy Whitespace, Auckland

By using the word “collection” in the title she suggests the idea of treasured objects, which have been carefully accumulated over time, and also the precious memories associated with a particular object – in this case the swan
vase that was the centre of a childhood ritual in which Lysaght was given the task of selecting blooms for her grandmother’s vase.

“For me this ritual was so exquisite and beautiful,” she says. “I adored my grandmother. I would come in and we’d put the flowers in the vase and I would sit and look at that vase of flowers for quite some time, and because I had a rather strange mind, that swan was very much alive for me – it wasn’t just an inanimate object; it was real.”

Detail from The Nita Gini Collection, mixed media, 2010. Photo: Andrew Beck and courtesy Whitespace, Auckland

Though the much-coveted vase was promised to Lysaght, this gift never eventuated and yet the ritual may have sparked her love of collecting, though these days she wryly describes herself as a “recovering” collector.

Appropriately The Nita Gini Collection, which Lysaght describes as a collection of her memories and a tribute to her grandmother, will be exhibited at the Gus Fisher Gallery in November alongside the touring Crown Lynn exhibition. Originally Lysaght conceived the work to run concurrently with the Crown Lynn exhibition at City Gallery Wellington, but for various reasons the two shows never hooked up, so she is delighted they will finally be shown together at the Gus Fisher Gallery.

Though critics often comment on the meticulousness and highly crafted nature of her work, as well as her obsessive approach to making, Lysaght’s response to this view of her practice is surprising.

“I didn’t want the objects in The Nita Gini Collection to be perfect – I have a thing going on at the moment about refinement in work. And it bugs me that the more art you make, the more refined you get, and I don’t want my work to
be refined. I’m a bit of a ‘rip, shit and bust’ merchant and I get concerned that people expect this ‘mistress of craft’ thing from me.”

Another autobiographical work that packs a visceral punch and traces of Lysaght’s trademark wicked sense of humour is the installation My Casa is Your Casa, which was exhibited at Tauranga Art Gallery from October to December last year. A parody of Kiwi suburban life in which sinister forces lurk beneath the outward appearances of normalcy – immaculately kept homes and gardens – My Casa comprises a scale model of the artist’s family home in Tauranga where she grew up. From the roof down it looks like a normal suburban home with its hermetically sealed doors and windows veiled by curtains and blinds, yet just above eye level lurks a congregation of demons (cast from resin) packed densely on the roof, threatening to overwhelm the frail house beneath them.

Detail from My Casa is Your Casa at Tauranga Art Gallery. Courtesy of Whitespace

My Casa is a powerful visual metaphor for duplicity and concealment, and an intensely frank and personal evocation of Lysaght’s childhood in Tauranga during the 1950s and early 1960s. Installed on the walls behind the house are a series of smaller tableaux – a forlorn looking demon perched on the seat at a bus stop, another demon sitting on the side of a barbecue – all reinforcing a sense of isolation and loneliness amidst the familiar objects of suburban existence.

Never one to shy away from provocative or unpleasant topics, Lysaght is an artist who is keenly attuned to minority groups and social injustices, and she has looked at issues such as disability, ageing, poverty, gambling and mental illness, though these topics are always leavened with her playful sense of humour and her intriguing choice of objects and materials, some of which bear traces of their former life. When I visited her studio, for instance, three chunky ‘necklaces’, made from the buttons of some discarded pokie machines, hung on the wall. These were ‘rescued’ by the artist who took them back to her studio and – thinking they looked like teeth – strung them together and titled them Loan Shark Tooth Necklaces. The fact the former life of these objects, which have a distinctly cargo cult feel, is still apparent prompts more complex readings of the work beyond its existence as an object.

Deciphering subjects and preoccupations in Lysaght’s art is like untangling a riddle, and she delights in word games and visual puns to help us along the way. Unwrapping a bubble-wrapped work in the studio, she showed me a work from her 2010 exhibition, The House of Lentigo, a series of grey works shown at the Mary Newton Gallery in Wellington. Lysaght says she wanted to make a new series emphasising the positive aspects of ageing and discovered along the way that it was quite a challenge. Shaped like an ornate old-fashioned mirror with rosettes and flourishes around its frame, this work is made from car upholstery fabric and its title, The Leopard of Lentigo, makes playful reference to the medical name (lentigo) for ‘liver spots’ or ‘old age spots’. Appropriately, a powerful black leopard is draped sinuously in a tree and starkly silhouetted against the plush grey background of the work.

The Leopard of Lentigo, (left) and The Countess Leopardina Senilis of Lentigo (right) from the exhibition The House of Lentigo at Mary Newton, Wellington, 2010

Even more extraordinary is a tabletop tableau, The Garden of Lentigo, which is also made from grey upholstery fabric and is like the scale model of a formal French or Italian garden – except it’s eerily monochromatic and contained within a plexiglass case like a museum exhibit. The fragility of the objects she makes often necessitates support and containment or protection of some kind, and Lysaght often co-opts plinths, furniture and vitrines as integral elements of the work, which again reinforces its association with the human addiction to collecting precious objects, while simultaneously mocking – albeit in an affectionate way – middle class notions of ‘good taste’ associated with such collections.

Lysaght is a self-taught artist who had her first solo exhibition, Out of the Woodwork, comprising painted furniture, at the Dowse Art Museum in 1987. Since then she has had numerous exhibitions and her work is held in many public and private collections, including Te Papa Tongarewa and the Chartwell Collection.

“After all those years and all those exhibitions my work has more credibility and I have more confidence in my making. Now I’m turning another corner and going into the ‘I don’t give a damn’ stage,” she says. “I went through a stage where I was being a bit of a lap dog, but I’m no longer going to be a lap dog, I’m going to be a rottweiler because I think there’s a price you pay for becoming one of the insiders, and I started to worry that my work was getting too soft. So I’ve decided I need to take more time to reflect, and it’s time to come out swinging. I have the utmost respect for art that is beautiful, however I want art to agitate.”

Lauren Lysaght: The Nita Gini Collection is at the Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland, from 4 November 2011 to 14 January 2012. The Garden Of Lentigo and an outdoor sculpture, Ghost Swan are at Sculpture in the Gardens, Auckland Botanic Gardens, Hill Road, Manurewa, until 12 February 2012.

Postmortem Room #4, 2004, digital C-print, dimensions variable, from the series The Clinic. All artworks by Neil Pardington

Cabinets of wonder

Wellington artist Neil Pardington talks to Virginia Were about his love of photographing spaces that are empty, yet redolent with strangeness, mystery and narrative.

We’ve all heard the saying about not talking about ‘the elephant in the room’, which implies that something obvious is being ignored and people are turning a blind eye to an unpleasant issue or subject that is staring them in the face.

When I randomly opened Wellington photographer Neil Pardington’s book The Vault, which reproduces his series of large format photographs of New Zealand museum and gallery storage spaces, it fell open at page 26 – a perfect visual pun of this saying. The book accompanies Pardington’s exhibition The Vault, which is part way through a six-venue tour of New Zealand public galleries.

Titled Mammal Attic #1, Canterbury Museum, this photograph shows a room (barely) containing a taxidermied elephant with an ominous tear in its shoulder, and in front of it a shark – its fin visible behind a set of steel shelves. The wooden crates, shelves and scrunched together cloths in this image suggest the mysterious activities of preserving, cataloguing and caring for the curious miscellany of objects deemed worthy of exhibition in our national institutions.

Pardington’s images of these hermetic storage spaces deep within the belly of museums and galleries, which the public will most likely never visit, are strikingly surreal – not so much as a result of the way he has arranged or shot these images but because of the bizarre relationships and juxtapositions of the objects themselves – hence the surprising co-existence of the shark and the elephant in the same overcrowded room.

Mammal Attic #1, Canterbury Museum, 2007, Lambda/C-print, dimensions variable, from the series The Vault

Because of his cool and systematic way of making this ambitious body of work, when we’re confronted with a somewhat chilling image of stuffed sea birds lying on their backs on metal shelves, or a close-up of two deer foetuses scrunched up in jars, we’re not shoehorned into taking any particular moral or intellectual stance. Instead we’re left to wonder about the scientific, cultural and social values that drove and continue to inform and direct these collections.

The Vault was first shown at Jonathan Smart Gallery, Christchurch, and Suite Gallery Wellington in 2007, before being picked up by Christchurch Art Gallery in 2009 and has continued to travel since then. Though some of the most emotionally resonant images in this series feature taxidermied animals, many of the photographs are distinctly minimalist and architectural, showing the repeated grids of shelves, racks and cupboards – and the sculptural forms of the objects themselves. However, Pardington is quick to point out he’s not interested in architecture per se; instead his projects generally focus on the use of space – its history and the human activities that take place within it. Paradoxically, all his images are empty of humans, though signs of their busy activity are everywhere.

“Initially I went into The Vault thinking about the spaces, but as I worked more I started thinking about the artifacts and moving in a bit closer and making them more a focus of the project. I found this idea of collecting, taxidermying and storing dead animals in basements quite a bizarre thing. I’d grown up seeing them in museums, and when you grow up with things you think they’re normal. If you came from outside our culture and saw people doing that, it would seem quite bizarre.”

Pardington first hit his stride in 2002 with The Clinic, a series shot over several years, documenting hospital operating theatres, postmortem rooms and anatomy rooms in teaching hospitals throughout New Zealand. Looking at these images, which preceded The Vault, is like seeing a stage set where the actors have recently departed and may be about to return at any moment. Because the human presence is implied rather than stated explicitly, we bring our own (often highly dramatic) stories to bear on these images, whose meta narrative is that of life and death itself.

The Clinic, which was critically acclaimed (and included in PUBLIC/PRIVATE, The 2nd Auckland Triennial in 2004) marked the first time Pardington had taken a sustained look at a single subject. The series was sparked by a chance encounter with a chair in a former psychiatric hospital in Porirua, while Pardington was looking at the site as a potential film location. The photograph of this chair, titled Te Whare Rangiora (Chair) (2002), which has kowhaiwhai patterns scratched into its arms, “told a story immediately and directly,” notes Pardington in his interview with Lara Strongman in the book. The potency of this image led him to undertake a sustained documentation of hospital interiors, exploring the way these empty spaces could, like the chair, speak about history and identity and prompt the viewer to insert their own narrative.

“I think emptiness changes our reading of a space and a time and makes the familiar seem strange; it suggests mystery, something hidden or that something has left or departed. I’ve always preferred photographs without people in them and that’s why I feel a kinship with photographers like the Bechers, Laurence Aberhart and Peter Peryer.”

Mattresses, 1999, digital C-print, dimensions variable, from the series Elsewhere

Neil Pardington, photographed by Bruce Foster in the New Zealand Film Archive

Another – and much earlier – image which also revolves around the physical reality and abject traces of the body is Mattresses (1999). Instantly recognisable in this image is Pardington’s formal, frontal approach to his subject matter, which reinforces the grid of the shelves on which the mattresses are stacked. The Baroque richness of pattern and colour and its crisp contrast with the structural and geometrical elements of the image is a premonition of what was to come later in The Vault. Though some viewers have interpreted Mattresses as a photograph taken in a marae, and interpreted it as a Maori story like that of the chair, Te Whare Rangiora, Pardington (who is of Scottish and Kai Tahu descent) says the photograph was taken at the Statue Bargain Barn in Paraparaumu.

He also works as a filmmaker and designer and there are obvious parallels between ‘scouting’ for movie locations and his approach to still photography – the time spent researching, planning and gaining permission to document the inaccessible and ‘forbidden’ spaces he’s drawn to far exceeds time spent behind the camera, taking the shots. The Vault came about as a consequence of his design work. “While in the middle of shooting The Clinic, I was doing some (design) work at Te Papa and spending quite a lot of time back of house in those areas, and I started ‘seeing’ images – initially in the Te Papa art store, then in the natural history store, and I thought: ‘What great photographs!’ Once again it was that chance opportunity of stumbling across images and thinking they might be a good series.”

It’s interesting to learn that Pardington is a big fan of German photographers, Bernd and Hilla Becher, whose practice is informed by 1970s conceptualism and who spent several decades documenting industrial structures such as water cooling towers and blast furnaces. Taking a leaf out of their book, Pardington has narrowed his focus to very specific sites and subjects, creating two powerful bodies of work, The Clinic and The Vault, that continue his investigation into our collective cultural identity as New Zealanders. It’s also interesting to ponder Pardington’s relationship to notions of objectivity and its relationship to the documentary tradition.

“I would start by saying I don’t believe it’s possible to take a purely objective photograph. When German photographer Thomas Ruff (the Becher’s star pupil) gave a talk at Massey University recently, he said the same thing. He said the Bechers believed you could take an objective photograph but now we know that’s not possible. Having said that of course the Bechers are amongst my favourite artists. Their work taught me the value of working in a series – the idea of returning to a similar subject over and over again. Obviously there are similarities (in your images) but more so you see the differences between subjects; so rather than taking just one photograph of a postmortem room, where you’ve explored that idea of the room where dead bodies are taken, you take four or five, and then the little differences in the images become very interesting. Your best shot might be the fifth one, which you would never have taken if you had been satisfied with the first.”

His latest series looks at yet another elephant in the room – meat abattoirs, a subject people definitely don’t want to think about while they’re tucking into their steak.

Abattoir #2, 2010, digital C-print, dimensions variable, from the series The Abattoir

“I thought that farming animals and processing them as food was interesting as a subject, but the killing and dismembering of them is too gory as a photographic subject. So I liked the idea of going into the spaces on the day off after the plant has been cleaned. I’m interested in the relationship those images have to the series The Clinic, because in a way they are both looking at spaces involving the idea of death. I would call them (abattoirs) a cathedral of death – they’re quite frightening places.”

“I like the idea of saying: Okay this is part of us; this is what we’re about; just like the museum storage area and the post mortem room or the operating theatre, the abattoir is part of being a New Zealander – a very big part of it in fact. I’m off documenting these places, but there’s a bigger idea at play, which is around identity and how we view ourselves in the world.”

What does he most love about photography and being a photographer?

“When you walk into a space that you’ve never been into before and you see the photograph unfolding in front of you – that’s an exciting moment. It doesn’t always happen but there’s an occasional image – the moment you walk into the room there it is, and it actually feels like luck. You know you’ve made it happen, but equally you realise through some chance operation you’ve landed yourself in front of a perfect photograph, and that would be something like the Large Mammal Storage Bay in Canterbury Museum. That was one of those moments, and that is one of my favourite images.”

The Vault: Neil Pardington: Rotorua Museum of Art and History, 19 August to late November 2011; Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui, December 2011 to March 2012; Te Manawa, Palmerston North, early 2012; The Abattoir, Jonathan Smart Gallery, opens 12 August 2012.

I don't want no conversation, I just want ejaculation, 2003, glitter on canvas. All artworks are by Reuben Paterson

Diamond dust and ancestral stories

Whakapapa or genealogy has always been at the heart of Reuben Paterson’s practice, which dances with various influences – from the optical paintings of Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley to memories of the patterns on his grandmother’s dresses.

On the opening banquette in the gallery’s vast atrium, gazing up at his mammoth eight-metre square glitter work, Whakapapa: get down on your knees towering above him. It was the first time he’d seen the painting in its entirety, as during its creation in Auckland, he’d never had the space to hang up the 16 two-metre square panels that made up the work, and understandably he was soaking up the experience. During the opening weekend of the triennial, I watched visitors standing silently in front of the work, for minutes at a time, seemingly transfixed by this gargantuan, pulsating, kaleidoscope of colour, texture and pattern. This was not an artwork for the fainthearted – it wanted to embrace you, envelop you, suck you in and take you to a different place.

And ‘place’ in a broader sense – whakapapa – or genealogy, has always been at the core of Paterson’s work. Of Ngati Rangitihi/ Ngai Tuhoe, Scottish and Pakeha descent, this artist’s work over the past 11 years has recorded, referenced and paid tribute to his whakapapa. His 2000 work The Wharenui that Dad Built celebrated his father, who died the same year, and his lusciously coloured and textured series based on 1960s retro fabric patterns, which he started in 2003, paid tribute to the brightly patterned dresses his grandmother wore.

Anxiety for the Sake of Boredom; Apathy for the Sake of Arousal; Relaxation for the Sake of Control; Worry for the Sake of Flow, 2011: all glitter and synthetic polymer on canvas. Installation in Flow, at Nellie Castan Gallery, Melbourne. Courtesy of the artist and Nellie Castan Gallery

However, just as the patterns in his current series, destined for this year’s Auckland Art Fair, weave, overlap and burst, under, over, betwixt and between, so it is with Paterson’s inspiration – he’s content to reach back and reference earlier works, and weave them into the new fabric. But where the kowhaiwhai patterns of The Wharenui that Dad Built echo the formal rafter patterns of the meeting house, in these newer works, the kowhaiwhai have a less literal presence.

“In the process of creating these works, the white canvas is the starting point, and I see this in a similar way to the creation of kowhaiwhai,” says Paterson. “When I’m creating these works I’m thinking of kowhaiwhai as the positives and negatives of these spaces, how the black, red and white tends to frame and organise the eye’s journey from one place to the next.”

Paradoxically, in the creation of these works, Paterson feels he has moved closest to referencing Maori philosophies. The paradox? His work to date has generally drawn from his Maori father’s side of his family, but these recent paintings have a far stronger connection to his Pakeha mother, and the iconography of the post-Woodstock psychedelic 70s of his early childhood memories of growing up in east Auckland. The crisp, joyous, rock ’n’ roll images of the 60s are making way for the acid-tinged, ‘tune-in, turn-on’ 70s mantra. But Paterson still sees these fabric patterns telling a story, much the same as the ancestral kowhaiwhai motifs. “These fabrics and patterns represent our genealogy – just as the kowhaiwhai connect our genealogy from carving to carving in the wharenui – there is a similar literal journey taking place with these images. It’s not something I linger on, but it is something I feel these works contain.”

Modesty (left) and Folkloric (right), both works glitter and synthetic polymer on canvas 1200 x 1200 mm, 2011

Paterson’s medium of choice – glitter – has a unique kinetic quality absent in most other media – the ability to capture and throw light from the image. Couple this dynamic with his love of the works of Op-art artists Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley, and the potency of the mix starts to gel. He is also intrigued by the theories put forward by the early Gestalt psychologists, who posited that the self-organising capabilities of the brain help to ‘see’ whole forms, rather than merely a collection of lines and curves, and each individual’s brain uniquely ‘makes sense’ of what it perceives. However, when confronted with op-art imagery, the brain constantly reshuffles the images in an attempt to create a fixed image. By using glitter and diamond dust, Paterson creates a motile effect in his paintings, so, as well as the surfaces twinkling and pulsating, the individual works, when placed together, can interact and flow into each other.

Whakapapa: get down on your knees, 2009, glitter and synthetic polymer paint on canvas / 16 canvases at 6th Asia Pacific Triennial, Gallery of Modern Art Queensland. Courtesy the artist and Gow Langsford Gallery

To explain, he mentions his recent exhibition, appropriately named Flow, at the Nellie Castan Gallery in Melbourne – the first body of work to distort and distend his previously familiar floral and paisley patterns. There’s a greater three dimensionality to these images, which buckle and bend, as if under the influence of some unseen g-force, or about to be sucked into a creative maelstrom. “The works for the Melbourne show were purposely made to move into each other, so the disparate entities found a way of uniting as a whole, being hung close together, and close to the floor.”

But even the best families have their off-days, and sitting in his studio looking at the almost completed works, which will be exhibited at Gow Langsford Gallery’s stand at Auckland Art Fair in August, Paterson says, “By contrast, these works seem to be having an emotionless argument, and while they are all still appearing to me, some of the paintings seem to exult in independence – even more so when they sit together, fighting against their own movement, so I’m inclined to exaggerate this more and see how it works.”

In his research for these latest works, Paterson familiarised himself with the flow theory of Hungarian psychologist Mihály Csí kszentmihályi, which, summarised, opines that flow is focused motivation, with a lack of depression and anxiety, and is marked by a feeling of spontaneous joy. Which, when talking to Paterson, tends to sum up his art. There seems to be a lack of angst and darkness in his work, even though the subject matter could dictate otherwise – his grandmother took her own life after bouts of depression and alcoholism. “The angst does exist, but my inspiration comes from these reference points in my whakapapa. They’re not dark places, and while the works come from real life, they transform – they’re ways to connect with people, and to me, joy is the greatest thing to give. Angst, even emotion, is learned in that I must live in order to work. If I’m living, if I’m alive, my works should have an identity with that.”

Reuben Paterson. Photo: Kevin Lee Burton

And Paterson has been connecting all around the country – and overseas – over the past 12 months. His first video work Te Putahitanga o Rehua has been at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery for the past four months, and a multi-‘media’ show at iconic fashion store, World, in Auckland’s High Street, with t-shirts, posters, badges, an in-store wall installation of crumpled foil, and a sex museum (of donated sex toys, along with labels detailing owners’ reminiscences) indicate he’s not a one-trick pony. He’s also one of the featured artists in E Tu Ake: Standing Strong, which, after three months at Te Papa, is now touring internationally, first to Musée du Quai Branly, in Paris, then to the National Museum of Quebec, Canada.

And then there’s a large 6 x 6 metre wall work commissioned by the Newmarket Arts Trust, to be installed in the newly opened Newmarket Railway Station in January 2012, but the project he’s most excited about resonates with an earlier career. This ex-primary schoolteacher has been chosen to be the first artist to set up the interactive experiences programme for the new Family Learning Centre in the refurbished Auckland Art Gallery, reopening in September. For visiting children and curious parents, Paterson has prepared a six-pronged sensory attack on the frontal lobes of the country’s next generation of creative talent. Teaming up with architect Rick Pearson, CoLab technology centre, AUT, and ALT Group graphic designers, he’s creating a suite of interactive experiences for families visiting the gallery. “We’re ensuring the learning centre is not separate from the gallery, but makes visitors connect with, and experience the art by looking at how the artist works – so it’s not just a place to experience visual tricks, but a place to think and consider ideas contained in my work, and link them back to the gallery collection through various thematic devices.” Amongst the activities he’s developing in conjunction with Pearson and CoLab will be an interactive video, infinity-box works, thermochromic (temperature-sensitive) painted artworks, and some mind- and eye-boggling viewing toys and devices.

When asked whether this move to video and moving works signals a new direction, Paterson points out nothing deviates from the ultimate destination. “Everything I’ve done is moving. Within the kinetic light of glitter, there’s a connected form of movement in every series I’ve done. I believe in the eye, and how we look, interact and interpret things. The eye is how we see the shortness and longevity of our lives.” / Dan Chappell

Reuben Paterson’s latest works are at Gow Langsford Gallery’s stand at the Auckland Art Fair from 5–7 August.

spaces

postcards

From Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, Hobart, Brisbane, Sydney

auction scene

sketches

News from the art front

awards, prizes and residencies

Artists on a winning streak

upcoming

Future exhibitions and events

reviews

This is a free listing service. Email whatson@artnews.co.nz with your exhibition listings for inclusion in the Summer 2011 issue (period covered: November 4 to March 5) by October 31, 2011

Northern
Central
Southern
International

EXHIBITIONS

Northern

A Fine Line Gallery, Matakana Something about Appropriation, Wendy Grace Allen, Graeme Cornwall, Nicol Sanders-O’Shea Oct 8–30

Anna Miles Gallery, Auckland CBD also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Kim Meek, Grand Tour to Aug 20 Darren Glass, Joanna Campbell Aug 27–Sept 24 Allan McDonald Sept 28–Oct 23 Johanna Pegler Oct 26–Nov 19

Art + Object, Newton Important Paintings and Contemporary Art; New Collectors Aug 18

Artis Gallery, Parnell also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Michael Smither, Harmonic Assembly to Aug 14 Matthew Browne, Phantasmagoria Aug 16–Sept 11 CarinWilson, Sculpture Sept 13–Oct 9 Spring Selection, Paintings and Sculpture Oct 11–Nov 12

Artspace, K’Rd Dane Mitchell, Radiant Matter to Aug 20

Artstation, Ponsonby The Sole Project: The exhibition, young artists and their mentors to Aug 13 How Diversity Works, Diversityworks Trust Aug 17–Sept 3 Spread: Artstation tutors exhibition 2011 Sept 7–17 Art/Movement Political poster art in Aotearoa, The Kotare Trust Sept 21–Oct 1 Kia Ora Koutou, Kia Ora Koutou, collaborative cash and carry exhibition curated by Jannen Love and Alexis Neal Oct 5–22 I is for Invisible… I is for Inclusion, Toi Ora Art Trust group exhibition Oct 27–Nov 12

Art Upstairs, Kerikeri Creating in Colour to Aug 31 Paint meets Clay to Sept 30 Sights on Spring to Oct 31

Auckland Art Gallery Brian Brake: Lens on the World; Goldie and Lindauer: Approaching Portraiture; Local Revolutionaries Art and Change 1965–1986 to Aug 14 Opening day of the new Gallery Sept 3 The Julian and Josie Robertson Promised Gift Sept 3–Oct 30 James Mackelvie’s Gift to Auckland Sept 3–Feb 6 Whizz Bang Pop Sept 3–May 2012

Auckland Art Fair Viaduct Events Centre Vernissage Aug 3, Art Fair Aug 4–7 Keynote speaker, Knight Landesman Aug 5 artfair.co.nz

Auckland Botanic Gardens, Manurewa Sculpture in the Gardens; Garden of Delights 2, medal artists Oct 9–Feb 12, 2012

Auckland Grammar School Art Exhibition 2011, 120 leading and emerging artists including the inaugural editorial cartoonists exhibition Aug 26–28

Auckland University Centre for Continuing Education The Glittering East: Orientalists and Orientalism, 6–8pm Aug 11,17, 25 American Pop Art: Art & Life in the 1960’s, 6.30–8.30pm Sept 5, 12, 19 Colour and Light: The Art Of Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, 6–8pm Sept 5,12, 22, 29, Oct 3, 10 Rembrandt: The Artist and His Art, 6.30–8.30 Aug 1, 7, 15 Children’s Book Illustration: Part Two, 7–9pm Sept 7, 14, 21, 28 Oct 5, 12 Expressive Drawing: An Introduction to Abstraction, 9.30–12.30 Sept 24, Oct 1 www.cce.auckland.ac.nz

Bath Street Gallery, Parnell also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Tony Drumm, Teeth like stars to Aug 13 Peter Gibson Smith, New Work Aug 17–Sept 10 Robert McLeod, New Work Sept 14–Oct 8 Peter Panyoczki, Matters Oct 12–Nov 5

Black Asterisk The Floating, Stuart Broughton Sept 9–28 Annie Get Your Gun, Barbara Smith Sept 30–Oct 12

Bledisloe Walkway Light Boxes, Auckland CBD Furniture of the World, Maree Horner, photographs from Aug 19

Brick Bay Sculpture Trail, Snells Beach, Warkworth New Sculpture by Chris Hargreaves Aug Double Bass Boat, new sculpture by Regan Gentry Sept Fragmented Interactions, new sculpture by Gregor Kregar Oct

Corban Estate Arts Centre, Henderson Re-Made The Assembled World of Peter Sauerbier to Sept 4 Metonymy 2011, artists and writers in collaboration Sept 9–Oct 9 I don’t know your name (but I’ll call you…); The Salt Group, Alison Granville, Ann Palmer, Jayne Thomas, Mary Botica Oct 14–Dec 4

Depot Artspace, Devonport Sophie Kaiser to Aug 13 Members Show to Aug 18 Tales from Tibet Aug 20–Sept 1 Carlie Blanchett-Burton & Elke Finkenauer: Perception Aug 13–25 Teri Parat: New Paintings Aug 27–Sept 8 Brandon Hurst: Paintings in oil Sept 1–22  Scan Collective: Sing a Song of Sixpence Sept 3–15 Objects of Desire: Group Show Sept 17–29 Quiltmakers: Small Works Sept 24–Oct 6 Lost Property 2: Gregory J Smith Sept 24–Oct 6 Glasswear: Group Show Oct 1–20 Stanley M Jones: Colours Oct 8–20 Wrapt: Richard Leonard & Sally Blyth Oct 22–Nov 3 Emma Thomsen: Nonlinear Complications Oct 22–Nov 3

Edmiston Gallery of Maritime Art, Voyager Maritime Museum, Central Auckland ongoing permanent collection

FHE Galleries/FHE Project, Auckland CBD also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7

Fingers Gallery, Auckland 2011 Graduation Students Award Aug   1–12 Julia Middleton Aug 22–Sept 2 Renee Bevan, Octavia Cook, Phillipa Crane, Mia Straka Sept 12–23 Lauren Simeoni, Melinda Young Oct 3–21 Fingers Annual Group Show Oct 31–Nov 11

Flagstaff Gallery, Devonport Brain Explosion, Ewan MacDougall to Aug 16 Richard Smith and Tony Allain, 2 Artists and a point of view Aug 18–Sept 12 Cynthia Taylor and Russell Jackson Sept 15–Oct 11

Fox Jensen Gallery, Newmarket also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Leigh Martin, paintings and paperworks to Aug 13 Jude Rae, new paintings Aug 16–Sept 24 Lisa Crowley: Printed Mind Sept 27–Nov 5

Fresh Gallery, Otara See Me, in participation with the JR INSIDE OUT Project Aug 5 Sept 3 Foreign Objects, Angela Tiatia Sept 9–Oct 1 Mud, Douglas Bagnall Oct 14–Nov 26

George Fraser Gallery, University of Auckland Eden Arts Inaugural Art Schools Award to Aug 6

Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland CBD also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Judy Millar at 54th Venice Biennale, Personal Structures to Nov 27 Damien Hirst: The Dead and the Souls to Aug 13 Tony Cragg Aug 17–Sept 10 Dick Frizzell, Rugby, Rhyming and Here Sept 21–Oct 8 Spring Catalogue Oct 12–Nov 5

Diane Victor, General Mayhem, 2010, etching. From Collateral: Printmaking as Social Commentary at Gus Fisher Gallery

Gus Fisher Gallery, Auckland CBD Collateral: Printmaking as Social Documentary to Aug 20 From Prague to Auckland: the photographs of Frank Hofmann (1916–89); Of Positions and half Positions having several Marks at once, Liyen Chong Aug 26–Oct 29

Hangar Gallery, Whangarei Fetish and Fetishes, invited artists
Aug 3–31 ManguMaWhero, Rugby World Cup, local artists in conjunction with Tuatara Gallery and Yvonne Rust Gallery Aug 3–31 Mike Francis, Exquisite Landscapes Oct 3–31

Hopkinson Cundy, Cross St, K R’d Vanderlay Industries: Fiona Connor, Renee So, Nicholas Mangan, Sarah Ortmeyer Aug Joshua Petherick Sept Nicola Farquhar Oct

House of Hedone Gallery, Auckland CBD Artfuse Group Show Aug 16–Sept 6

International Art Centre, Parnell Contemporary and Collectable Art Auction Aug 17

Ivan Anthony Gallery, K’Rd also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Rohan Wealleans to Aug 27 Richard Killeen Aug 31–Sept 24 Julian Hooper Sept 28–Oct 22

Jane Sanders Art Agent, Auckland CBD Artist:Poet:Artist, Gregory O’Brien and John Pule, works on paper and photography to Aug 13

John Leech Gallery, Auckland CBD also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Martin Ball Aug 17–Sept 10

Kumeu Arts Centre Christine Rose, Small Life to Aug 4

Kura Gallery, Auckland CBD Te Toi Whakairo Toru–The Art of Carving Three from Sept 8 onsite carving & Taa Moko Sept 16–Oct 23

Lakehouse Arts Centre, Takapuna The Great Art Sale to Aug 17 Lib Stewart & Friends; Thursday Casual Painters Aug 15–28 Isla Osborne & Friends Aug 29–Sept 11 Portraits of a New Dawn Sept 13–25 Members Merit Awards Sept 27–Oct 16 Reflections of Aotearoa (cash n carry); Tania Parrot Oct 17–30 Association of Bookcraft NZ; Denice Symons Nov 1–20

Lopdell House Gallery, Titirangi Peter Siddell: Paintings 1970–2010; Kapa Haka Close up Te Waka Huia, Kathrin Simon, photography to Aug 21 Wood for the Trees: Celebrating International Year of Forests; Forest of Curves: Afloat, John Lyall, Michael Shepherd; The Titirangi Suite, Russell Moses; Tane Mahuta, Tanya Rukka Aug 25–Oct 9 Landscape of Ghosts, Derek March Aug 25–Sept 11 Secondary School Art Scholarship Sept 16–Oct 9 Portage Ceramic Awards Oct 14–Dec 4

Mangere Arts Centre – Nga Tohu o Uenuku, Mangere Town Centre ITWE Collective, Wapahta Aug 1–31 Kila Kokonut Krew, The Factory Aug 13–Sept 10 Sopolemalama Filipe Tohi, Mei Fale Kafa Sept 6–Oct 22

Masterworks, Ponsonby also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Galia Amsel: New Glass; Lucy Pierpont: Jewellery Box; Matthew McIntyre–Wilson: THINKSpace to Aug 24 Becky Bliss: Jewellery Box Sept 7–28 Top Drawer: Group Show; Jacqui Chan THINKSpace Sept 7–Oct 26 Barry Clarke: Jewellery Box Oct 5–26 Paul Maseyk Nov 3–23

McCahon House, Titirangi Glen Hayward Open Studio, 11am–3pm Oct 15 Tours of McCahon House Museum, 10am and 2pm Oct 15–16 & Oct 22–23 www.mccahonhouse.org.nz

Melanie Roger Gallery, Herne Bay also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Kristy Gorman, Peter Peryer, Layla Walter Aug 10–Sept 3 Emily Wolfe Sept 4–Oct 1 Turf, Derek Henderson, Corrina Hoseason, Dick Lyne, Stanley Palmer, Martin Poppelwell Oct 5–29 Gavin Hurley Nov 2–26

Michael Lett, Newton Campbell Patterson at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Dan Arps and Simon Denny Sept 25–Oct 1 Michael Parekowhai Oct 6–Nov 12

Monterey Art Gallery, Howick Megan Daniels, Dalene Meiring Aug 10–30 Peter Hall, Landscape Abstraction Sept 10–30 Graham Young Oct 10–30 Clare Reilly Nov 10–30

nkb gallery, Mt Eden A Change in Season, new stock exhibition to Aug 9 Mike Rowland, new works Aug 11–30 Joy Chang, 2, new works Sept 1–20 Russell Jackson, Earthworks 2 Sept 22–Oct 11 Waiheke, Ruth Cole with Katherine Simpson; Fragment, Oct 13–Nov 1 Glenys Brookbanks, paintings Nov 3–22

Northart, Northcote Portrait of a relationship: Sian Davis & Jack Willetts; Jo Bain: Switch to Aug 3 the drawing show 2011 to Aug 14

Objectspace, Ponsonby Eye Catch: Jewellery and Photography to Aug 6 Lugosi’s Children – exploring the light and dark subtexts of the popular gothic in contemporary objectmaking Aug 27–Oct 1 Ann Verdcourt: Still Lives Oct 8–Nov 5

OREXART, Auckland CBD also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Divided by Water, artists from New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific to Aug 12 John Madden Aug 15–Sept 3 Cristina Popovici, terra memoria Sept 3–30 Heroes, Regan Tamanui Oct 18–Nov 5

Papakura Art Gallery Manukau Faculty of Creative Arts students exhibition to Aug 20 Animal Incarnations, group show Aug 27–Oct 8 Double Rainbow, Tiffany Singh, Tessa Laird Oct 15–Nov 19

Parnell Gallery Neil Driver Aug 2–16 Jill Perrott, Iconic Auckland Aug 23–Sept 6 Dalene Meiring, New Works Sept 20–Oct 4 Little Barrier – An Island Sanctuary, Russell Jackson, Tony Ogle, Paul Woodruffe, Brian Strong with Don Binney Oct 11–28 Michelle Bellamy Nov 1–15

Pierre Peeters Gallery, Parnell Interception, Harry Wong, Oct 4–29

Projectspace B431, Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University Eden Arts Art Schools Award to Aug 6

Rawene Art Gallery Tutor Show Aug 6–Sept 4 Northtec Student’s Landscape Show Sept 7–27 Souvenirs from Hokianga – Memories of Northland Sept 30–Nov 20

Remuera Gallery Medal Artists Unmasked Oct 1–18

Sanderson Contemporary Art, Parnell also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Book Launch and 12 Walls, Auckland Art Fair Group Show Aug 2–14 Ray Haydon, Zenith Aug 16–Sept 4 Ted Dutch, Retrotech Sept 6–18 Locale, group show Sept 20–Oct 9 Alan Pearson, Variations on the Figure Oct 11–30 Martin Selman Nov 1–20

Satellite Gallery, Newton Julia Scott: Call to Mind to Aug 16 Paul Chapman: New Work Aug 19–30 Claudia Pond Eyley; A Brief Survey of 40 years of Drawing Sept 3–20 Eden Arts Young Artists Awards 2011 www.edenarts.co.nz Sept 22–25

Seed Gallery, Newmarket Out of Order, group show to Aug 20 Holly Shepheard and Maree Wilson Aug 24–Sept 10 Playlist, Janna van Hasselt Sept 14–Oct 1 Menagerie group show of over 100 original works Oct 5–22 Stafford Press and Rebecca Thomson Oct 26–Nov 19

Starkwhite, K’Rd also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Trenton Garratt, What’s the Sun to Aug 6

St Paul Street Gallery, Auckland CBD Finding Neitherland, Tautai Tertiary exhibition to Aug Zune Lee Residency to Sept 4 The Golden Shuffle, Brydee Rood and Matthew Crookes Aug 19–Sept 23 Reason and Rhyme exchange programme of 3 curators and 10 artists with Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne Sept 29–Oct 28

Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland CBD also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Gretchen Albrecht to Aug 13 Ava Seymour Aug 16–Sept 10 Marie Shannon Sept 13–Oct 8 Peter Robinson Oct 11–Nov 5

Te Tuhi Centre for the Arts, Pakuranga Rapid Change curated by Bruce E. Phillips; Jason Lindsay & Matt Ellwood: Drawing Wall to Sept 4 Angela Tiatia: Project Space Aug 27–Oct 16 Lisa Crowley: The Reading Hall Matt Henry: User Friendly Sept 24–Nov 6

Tim Melville Gallery, Newmarket also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Linden Simmons, New Watercolours to Sept 3 Roberta Thornley, New Photography, Sept 6–Oct 1 Joe Sheehan Oct 4–29

TSB Wallace Arts Centre, Hillsborough God’s Little Laundrette, Brendan McGorry to Aug 14 Recent Acquisitions: Part II to Aug 25 The Blue Room, curated by Pippa Sanderson to Aug 28 First Impressions, early works from the Wallace Collection to Sept 2 20th Annual Wallace Art Awards 2011 Sept 6–Oct 16 Salon de Refusés Sept 6–Oct 14 Phillip Trusttum Oct 17–Jan 29

Two Rooms, Newton also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Denis O’Connor, The Tangler Chapter 2; Gregory Bennett, Utopia to Sept 3 Fiona Pardington; Mark Adams Sept 9–Oct 22 Julia Morison, Jeena Shin Oct 28–Nov 26

Uxbridge, Howick’s Creative Centre Eat Your Art Out, food inspired artworks  Domestic Bliss, Nicola Wright Aug 10–30 Community,Commitment, Courage, Howick Intermediate students Sept 3–9 Tenei a Wairoa (this Place) – works from the Manukau Legacy Collection Sept 16–Oct 4 Thou shalt not Art on Sundays, Manukau School of Creative Arts Oct 21–Nov 16

Warwick Henderson Gallery, Parnell also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Catalogue Aug 4–13 Fatu Feu’u, Po Uliuli Poutasi Aug 17–Sept  3 NZ Artists Group Show Sept 6–24 and Oct 18–29 Tyrone Lane, People Sept 28–Oct 15

Webb’s, Newmarket Auctions: Important Works of Art Aug 9 Antiques and Modern Design Aug 18 A2–Artworks under $20,000 Oct 4 Antiques and Modern Design Oct 13 Oceanic and African Art Sept 8 Exhibition Alfred Gregory, From Everest to Blackpool Sept 1–10

Whitespace, Ponsonby also at Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 David Ryan: Elsewhere (field site archive) Aug 2–21 Garry Currin Aug 23–Sept 11 New Zealand Art, Scott Gardiner, Regan Gentry, Lauren Lysaght, Mary McIntyre, Greer Twiss, Krystie Wade Sept 13–Oct 2 Philip Trusttum Oct 4– 23 Scott Gardiner Oct 25–Nov 13

Window, General Library Foyer, The University of Auckland Google Squalor, Dylan Scott to Aug 13 Spoils, Lance Pearce; and Reception Text, Aindriu Macfehin Aug 24-Sep 23 In Any Case, at Ostrale ‘011, Dresden, Germany Henry Babbage and Nell May, Kah Bee Chow, Richard Bryant, Eleanor Cooper, Anya Henis, Zac Langdon-Pole, Imogen Taylor to Sept 4

Wynyard Quarter, Auckland Council unveiling and tour of new public artworks, The Flooded Mirror; Silt Line, Rachel Shearer; Wind Tree, Michio Ihara 10am Aug 6

Yvonne Rust Gallery, Quarry Arts Centre, Whangarei The Great Plate 2011: 100 Artists–100 Plates Aug 4–30 Art After Dark, Festival of Light and Art Sept 14–18 Rust Ramble, outdoor exhibition ongoing

Central

Adam Art Gallery,Victoria University of Wellington Behind Closed Doors: New Zealand Art from Private Collections in Wellington to Dec 18 in camera: a project series about collection: Richard Frater, Chris Prosser, Anna Sanderson (A Film Called) Ellipsis to Aug 21 Leonid Tishkov and Boris Bendikov, Private Moon Aug 27–Oct 2 The Victoria Album, the Feminine and the Personal, curated by Dr Sandy Callister Oct 8–13

Aratoi Museum, Masterton Rise up to Release: A Critique of the Retreat, g.bridle to Sept 18

ArtsPost Galleries, Hamilton Where, Maree Glass, Janet Knighton, Frances Van Dammen A Chain of Episodes, group exhibition to Aug 15 On the Surface, Aotearoa Quilters; Imagining Antarctica, Melior Simms Aug 19–Sept 19 Piiata students from Te Wananga Sept 23–Oct 24

Bartley + Company Art, Wellington Maryrose Crook to Aug 13 Shane McGrath Aug 16–Sept 3 Brett Graham Sept 6–Oct 1 Kerry Ann Lee, Tim Thatcher, Simon Esling Oct 4–Oct 29 Rachel Rakena Nov 1–26

Black Barn Gallery, Havelock North Martin Poppelwell Aug 18–Sept 11 Simon Kaan Sept 15–Oct 9 Ben Pearce & Mike Crawford Oct 13–Nov 6

Bowen Galleries, Wellington also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7

Bowen House Exhibition Space, Parliament, Wellington Make/Believe work from creative spaces presented by Arts Access Aotearoa, curated by Stuart Shepherd to Aug 31

Calder & Lawson Gallery, University of Waikato Self Medicating, Works by Yvonne Todd Aug 13–Sept 25

Cambridge Town Hall Art Attack and Weird and Wacky Visual Arts Aug 7–28

City Gallery Wellington Oceania: Imagining the Pacific Aug 6–Nov 6

Enjoy Public Art Gallery, Wellington Knock On The Sky Listen To The Sound, Tiffany Singh to Aug 6 Infinity Pool, Melanie Bell and Mei Ling Cooper Aug 10 – Sept 8

Expressions Arts & Entertainment Centre, Upper Hutt Darcy Nicholas: Land of my Ancestors from Aug 26

Gilberd Marriott Gallery, Wellington I cure the wounds of advertising, Jonny de Painter to Aug 6

Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth Fiona Pardington: The Pressure of Sunlight Falling, Presence: New Acqusitions and Works from the Collection to Aug 28 Len Lye: All Souls Carnival Sept 11–Nov 27

Greenslade Gallery, Hamilton Men at Work to Aug 25 Waikato Embroiderer’s Guild Exhibition Sept 8–11

Hamilton Boys’ High School In Pictura Est… group exhibition; Mercy, Mercer, Derek Henderson Aug 22–27

Hamish McKay Gallery, Wellington also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7

Hastings City Art Gallery Game On curated by John Walsh and Jacob Scott to Oct 2 Uncommon Ground, selected works by John Lawrence to Oct 24 Rita Angus: Selected Works Oct 15–Nov 20

Kina NZ Design + Art Space, New Plymouth Keeping the Faith, Jane Mitchell, Lyn Dallison, Emma Cunningham, painting, sculpture, printmaking and multimedia Aug 5–31 Lester Hall, original works and limited edition prints Sept 2–30 Graeme and Glenda Kirk painting and prints Sept 30–Oct 26

Mahara Gallery, Waikanae Rochelle Maroon–Neale, Pastiche:In homage to the god of small things Aug 24–Sept 11 Peter Augustin Sept 15–Oct 2 Small & Beautiful takeaways, REAL NZ Festival to Nov 13

Mark Hutchins Gallery, Wellington also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7

Massey College of Creative Arts, Wellington T-shirt competition – photograph yourself in the most creative place, to celebrate 125th Anniversary of Wellington School of Design closes Sept 1 Old School New School: an art and design history of New Zealand 28 Sept–5 Nov Blow 2011 Creative Arts Festival Nov 5–18 creative.massey.ac.nz

McNamara Gallery, Whanganui Greg Semu, The Last Cannibal Supper Aug 7–26 Fiona Pardington, From the Field of Dreams: Phallus impudicus and Other Species Sept 2–30 Wayne Barrar, Torbay ti kouka Oct 7–28 Laurence Aberhart, America Nov 4–25

Page Blackie Gallery, Wellington also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Michael Hight to Aug 13 Liyen Chong Aug 16–Sept 10 Nina Gehl Sept 13–Oct 8 Paul Dibble Oct 11–Nov 5

Pataka Museum of Arts & Culture, Porirua Blackbird Fly, Beverly Rhodes Sept 10–Oct 9 Maori Art Market Oct 6–9

Paulnache Gallery, Gisborne also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7

Peter McLeavey Gallery, Wellington also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7

Photospace Gallery, Wellington Under Electric Light, Audrey Periot to Aug 6

Ramp Gallery, WINTEC, Hamilton Out There, a selection of works by past Media graduate students to Aug 10

Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 David Hofer and Frank Hofmann Aug 18–Sept 10 Group Show Sept 15–Oct 8 Peter Madden Oct 20–Nov 19

Rotorua Museum of Art and History The Vault: Neil Pardington; Heather Straka: The Asian Aug 19 to late November

Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui Ans Westra to Aug 28 Carey Smith & Co Whanganui 2011 Arts Review to Sept 4 Sleight of Hand: The Port Nelson Suter Biennale at the Sarjeant Gallery to Sept 4 Mari Mahr: Two Walking, photographs to Sept 18 Don’t the boys play well: Philip Trusttum deconstructs rugby Aug 27–Nov 6 Joanna Braithwaite: Significant Others curated by Jenny Bornholdt and Gregory O’Brien Sept 3–Nov 13 Everyday Irregular, group exhibition Sept 10–Dec 4

Solander Works on Paper Gallery, Wellington Simon Kaan, Kim Lowe, Karen Stevens: New Works to Sept 3 Michel Tuffery: Lakapi(fifteen aside) Sept 7–Oct 26 Margaret Silverwood: New prints and drawings Oct 19–Nov 26

SPARK: International festival of media arts and design, Hamilton spark.net.nz Aug 15–19

Statements Gallery, Napier John Burns, Bean, paintings Sept 2–25 Rae West, current paintings Sept Francoise Aries Oct 2–30

Suite Gallery, Wellington also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Arie Hellendorne, Inward/Outward to Aug 20

Tauranga Art Gallery Kelcy Taratoa: Crisis and Isolation to Nov 6 The Kelliher Collection: Past and Present to Sept 4 LAND[E]SCAPE to Sept 4 Glen Hayward: For Want of a Nail Aug 20–Nov 6 A Micronaut in the Wide World: The Imaginative life and times of Graham Percy Sept 10–Nov 13 Scott Eady, 100 Bikes Project, Part 1 Oct 8–Feb 5

Te Manawa Museum, Palmerston North Te Huringa from Aug 13 Bohemians of the Brush to Sept 11 Ka Kata Te Po to Sept 25

Te Papa, Wellington Oceania: Early Encounters Aug 6–Nov 6

The Dowse Art Museum, Lower Hutt Ruby: A 40 year love affair with the Dowse to Aug 14 Simon Morris: Blue Water Colour; Toy Story works from the Wallace Collection to Sept 18 Crystal City: Contemporary Asian Artists to Oct 16 Bloom to Oct 30 Spectrum Aug 20–Nov 13 Knitted and Knotted Aug 7–Nov 20

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, Wellington The Match: Portraits of NZ Rugby Players curated by David Matches Aug 18–Oct 9

Thermostat Gallery, Palmerston North Visible Mark Aug 19–Sept 8 Wahine Sept 10–29 Tane Oct 1–20 Tom Armstrong, paintings Keith Grinter glass Oct 21–Nov 10

The Sculpture Park @ Waitakaruru Arboretum, Tauwhare, Waikato E:SCAPE, sculpture in the landscape to Nov 18, Re:Fraction, outdoor glass sculpture Oct 2 – Nov 18

Waikato Museum, Hamilton Collected Fictions to Aug 21 Rita Angus Selected Works Aug 13–Sept 25 Bold Horizon National Contemporary Art Award Aug 6–Nov 6 Purakau: Myths and Legends to Feb 7 Waiclay National Ceramics Awards Dec 2–May 2012

Waikato Society of Potters, Hamilton Bruce Dehnert Workshop Nov 26–27 www.waikatopotters.co.nz

Wallace Gallery, Morrinsville Waiclay and Ceramic Masters, Katherine Smyth, Steve Fuller, Chris Weaver Nov 24–Jan 10

Wanganui Community Arts Centre, Whanganui National Art Exhibition and Awards Sept 9–Oct 2

WHMilbank Gallery, Wanganui Animal Antics; Caring for the Animals, Philip Trusttum to Aug 21 The Christchurch Contingent, Barry Cleavin, Simon Edwards, Ross Gray, Julia Morison, Eion Stevens, Philip Trusttum; Off the Bench, Philip Trusttum rugby works Aug 28–Oct 30 Remembering Neville Mawhinney Nov 1–Dec 4

Southern

Arts in Oxford, Oxford, Canterbury Jane McIntosh to Aug 7 Ruth Killoran, Martin Cole, Ruth McLeod Aug 9–Sept 4 Andrew Bond, Michael Holland Sept 6–Oct 2 Brent Firkin, Rachel McRobb Oct 4–30 Neil and Lindsay Hey Nov 1–27

Blue Oyster Art Project Space, Dunedin The Graduate Show: Oliver van der Lugt, Claire Mahoney, Tom Garden curated by Emily Palmer to Aug 20 Play Off, Edith Amituanai, Scott Eady, James Oram curated by Jamie Hanton and Jaenine Parkinson Aug 23–Oct 1 Jenny Gilliam: Frank; Cara–Ann Simpson: Geo Sound Helmets; Emma Febvre-Richards: The Rituals of Control Oct 4–Nov 12

Brett McDowell Gallery, Dunedin also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7

Christchurch Arts Festival Aug 12–Oct 2

Darfield Library Life Across the Plains Oct 8–21

Darfield Recreation Centre, Darfield Artweek Festival 2011 Oct 8–16

Dunedin Public Art Gallery Pieter Hugo: Nollywood to Aug 21 Ralph Hotere and Bill Culbert: Pathway to the Sea–Aramoana Aug 6–Nov  20 Sarah Lucas: NUZ: Spirit of Ewe to Oct 2 Jeena Shin: Fractus to Oct 7 Beloved: Works from the Dunedin Public Art Gallery; Frances Hodgkins: The French Connection to April 2012 Back in Black Sept 10–Jan 30 Fiona Pardington: Pressure of Sunlight Falling Oct 10–Jan 22

Gallery De Novo, Dunedin Phillip Edwards Time, Space and Shadows Aug 20–Sept 2

Gallery 33, Wanaka Domestic Interiors, oil paintings and ceramics group show Aug 2–25 Urban Landscapes: Daniel Unverricht and Aroha Novak, oil paintings and light boxes Sept 2–22 Flock: Don Binney, Bing Dawe, Ben Reid, Lukeke, birds in fine art Oct 2–24 Jane Mitchell Nov 4 to Nov 24

Hocken Gallery, Hocken Collections, University of Otago, Dunedin Ralph Hotere: Zero to Infinity, celebrating the artist’s 80th birthday to Oct 1

Jonathan Smart Gallery, Christchurch also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7

Marlborough Gallery, Blenheim Marlborough Art Society Member’s Annual Selected Exhibition to Aug 14 Celebrating 50th Anniversary of Marlborough Art Society featuring works contributed by Art Societies through New Zealand Aug 19–Sept 4

McAtamney Gallery, Geraldine Group exhibition: Portraiture John Badcock, Susan Wilson, Helen Badcock; James Robinson, mixed media, Susan Badcock, photography ongoing

Milford Galleries, Dunedin also at the Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Parallel, Works on Paper to Aug 17 Graham Bennett Aug 20–Sept 14 Hannah Kidd Sept 17–Oct 12 Karl Maughan Oct 15–Nov 9

Milford Galleries, Queenstown The Review, Dick Frizzell to Aug 24 Spring Catalogue; Garry Currin Aug 27–Sept 21 Peata Larkin, Andy Leleisi’uao, Reuben Paterson, new works Sept 24–Oct 19 John Parker, Neal Palmer Oct 22–Nov 16

Millennium Public Art Gallery, Blenheim The Imaginative Life and Times of Graham Percy curated by Gregory O’Brien to Aug 28 Art Marlborough – Toi Wairau Sept 7–Oct 26

Nelson Arts Festival Oct 7–24 www.nelsonfestivals.co.nz

Papergraphica, Christchurch John Reynolds, The Violet Hour to Aug 13 Barry Cleavin Exercising the Black Dog Sept 17–Oct  3 Drawing Show, group exhibition Oct 7–24 Isaac Neame, New Sculpture Oct 19–Nov 5

Reflections Art Gallery, WOW Museum Nelson Anthem: Fiona Lees, Symen Hunter, Josh McMillan, Patsy Fletcher Aug 9–Sept 11 Slice of Heaven: group show Sept 12–Oct 9 Draw the Line: Astrid Visser, Liz Palmer Oct 11–Nov 13

SCAPE 6th Biennial of Art in Public Space Auckland Art Fair Aug 4–7 Christchurch Aug 12–Nov

Sculpture on the Peninsula, Louden Homestead, Banks Peninsula Nov 4–6 www.sculpturenz.co.nz

Selwyn Gallery, Darfield Yubetsu–Sister City Art Oct 1–27

Nigel Brown, Kirchner, Schmidt-Rottluff, Pechstein, 1992, oil on board

Southland Museum and Art Gallery, Invercargill Nigel Brown, paintings, lithographs, monoprints, woodcuts Travel to Travel Aug 19–Oct 23

RH Gallery at Woollaston, Upper Moutere, Nelson Laurence Aberhart, Antarctica Aug 22–Sept 22 Darryn George, ATUA Sept 24–Oct 27

The Diversion at Grove Mill Winery, Marlborough Child’s Play – the art of A–Z and other stories, paintings by Philip Trusttum Aug 15–Sept 17 Three Degrees of Abstraction: new paintings by J S Parker, Bridget Bidwill, Roy Good Sept 19–Oct 28 Kathryn Madill – new paintings Oct 31–Dec 2

The Suter Art Gallery Crowning Glory, an investigation of human hair through historic artefacts and contemporary art to Sept 4

International

Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney The Poetry of Drawing Pre–Raphaelite designs studies and watercolours to Sept 4 New Contemporary Galleries featuring John Kaldor Family Collection to May 2012 Sam Smith, Cameraman to Aug 14 Tracey Moffat, Up in the Sky to Sept 19 The Mad Square: modernity in German art 1910–37 Aug 6–Nov 6

Biennale of Chianciano, 2011, Tuscany, Italy Jane Kellahan and Jenny Bennett (NZ) Sept 17–24

Frieze Art Fair, Regent’s Park, London Dan Arps, Booth F20 with Michael Lett Gallery Oct 13–16

Gertrude Contemporary, Melbourne Project 35, 35 curators, 35 moving image artists to Aug 18

Gallery of Modern Art, GoMA, Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane Surrealism: The Poetry of Dreams to Oct 2 Land Sea and Sky: Contemporary Art of the Torres Strait Islands to Oct 9 Physical Video to Sept 4

Museum of Contemporary Art Sydney closed for renovations to 2012 Offsite shows: Tell Me, Tell Me: Australian and Korean Art 1976–2011 at the National School of Art, Darlinghurst to Aug 24 Primavera Sept 8–Nov 13

National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Vienna Art & Design to Oct 9 10 Ways to look at the Past, 10 Contemporary Australian Artists including Richard Lewer to Feb 2012

James K Lowe, In an honest world, colour photograph

Photoquai 2011, musee quai Branly, Paris featuring James K Lowe with McNamara Gallery, Whanganui Sept 13–Dec 4

Venice Biennale, Italy 54th International Art Exhibition, Michael Parekowhai, On First Looking Into Chapman’s Homer; Personal Structures, includes Judy Millar to Nov 27

Tate Modern, London Miro to Sept 11

Zentrum für zeitgenössische Kunst, Dresden, Germany Window – In Any Case, at Ostrale ‘011, Henry Babbage and Nell May, Kah Bee Chow, Richard Bryant, Eleanor Cooper, Zac Langdon-Pole, Anya Henis, Imogen Taylor to Sept 4 www.window.auckland.ac.nz

Conversations with the body

Sam Harrison’s recent works bring together his interest in representing the naked and vulnerable human figure, and the more visceral forms of animal carcasses.

“It’s satisfying working on these things, to go through the whole process – killing, cutting up and skinning it, de-limbing and hanging it and then sculpting it. This process is something that most people don’t see and understand. But it’s the final word, when you actually experience the smells, the weight and the moving of the carcass.” Canterbury artist Sam Harrison is talking about the preparations he makes before starting work on his current series of sculptures in his temporary studio – a farm shed near Waimate, south of Timaru. His latest subjects – the carcasses of five wallabies, a cow and a horse.

He had been working there for a few weeks in February, but had returned to Christchurch briefly and was working in his sixth-floor studio in the old Government Life Insurance building overlooking Cathedral Square when the February 22 earthquake struck. He recalls, “I was working on a plaster sculpture with a naked model in the studio at the time. The work was flung off the plinth and smashed on the floor. We quickly got everything together and got out of the building. I’ve had to leave behind four full-sized figures I’d been working on, as well as a lot of drawings. There were also four or five heads I’d been sculpting, which rolled around on the floor. It’s lucky I wasn’t working on any clay figures at the time, as they would have since dried out, cracked and been ruined.”

Since the quake Harrison has returned to work in the Waimate shed and at the time of writing, had not been able to get into his studio inside Christchurch’s red zone, though his father and friends were able to retrieve several sculptures, a completed woodcut print and his folio of sketches when they were allowed brief access in early April. In spite of this disruption he will bring the new sculptures and a selection of woodcut prints north for his second solo exhibition at Auckland’s Fox Jensen Gallery in June 2011, and later in the year at Andrew Jensen’s recently opened gallery in Paddington, Sydney.

Sam Harrison with his Self Portrait, 2010. Pigment and wax on concrete. Edition of 1. All artworks by Sam Harrison

For someone so young (24-year-old Harrison graduated from the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology’s School of Art and Design five years ago) his career trajectory has been impressive. In addition to his first Auckland solo show in 2010 at Jensen Gallery, he has exhibited frequently in Christchurch (at Brooke Gifford Gallery and CoCA) and his work was included in Sleight of Hand, last year’s Port Nelson Suter Biennale. He has two works on permanent display at the TSB Wallace Arts Centre, including The Crucifixion, 2008, a massive three-metre square woodcut print, which hangs on the wall of The Pah Homestead’s main staircase.

But life-sized nude sculptures and woodcut prints – primarily figure studies or religious themes – are not the normal stock-in-trade for the average graduate artist these days. However, when talking to Harrison one soon appreciates he’s not your average graduate artist. He admits he struggled at school but in the fifth form he encountered an art teacher who tested his creative boundaries, and from then on he took as many art and design courses as he could.

At Christchurch Polytechnic he specialised in painting, and didn’t begin making woodcut prints until his final year. “I never liked doing woodcuts, just because of the way it was taught, but in my last year I picked the technique up – I’m not even sure how it happened – and then I stumbled on some large sheets of plywood, and it went from there.”

His first exhibitions after graduation included large landscapes, but he gradually found himself drawn to the challenge of creating lines and patterns of light and shade by gouging and incising striations on the plywood surface, incorporating the knots and imperfections into the elusive curves and shapes of the human form. But even now he’s hesitant to accept the label of printmaker, commenting, “I never really thought I’d be put in the category; it’s something that’s just happened – I don’t want to spend the rest of my life trying to shake it.”

Left: Vincent, 2011, woodcut, edition of seven. Photo: Sam Harrison, courtesy of the artist and Fox Jensen. Centre: Vincent, 2010, wax on plaster cast, edition of one. Photo: Andrew Jensen, courtesy of the artist and Fox Jensen. Right: Fallen, 2009, concrete, pigment and wax, 770 x 470 x 940mm. Collection of the Wallace Arts Trust

Reticent or not, Harrison’s virtuosity with this oft-maligned art form has stirred lively critical discourse, and writers have likened his work to that of Dürer and the German Expressionists. Critic John Hurrell writes, in his review of Harrison’s 2010 Jensen exhibition: “These woodcuts are particularly successful because their images are more than just about chiaroscuro and (mostly) female figures interacting with shadow and light. The knotty, splintery patterns of the gouged plywood have swirling vortices that cause ink densities to overlap and interfere with the clarity of the unclothed bodies and partly obliterate faces gazing directly at the viewer.”

Explaining his shift to sculpture, Harrison is equally ingenuous. “At polytech I’d made a few studies, mainly heads, and through that I discovered certain ways of working. Then later I found my own thing – working through what I’d been taught I developed my own techniques quite quickly.” His early sculptures, for which he often used friends as models, were moulded out of clay, then cast in concrete and coated with a dark wax finish. Typically these figure studies were of crouching, kneeling figures, limbs entwined, sharp-angled, tense and full of coiled energy. His more recent standing sculptures have required greater internal reinforcement and by using plaster he has been able to achieve greater flexibility and to create form and relief with greater spontaneity and drama.

The Crucifixion, 2009, woodcut print on three sheets of Fabriano paper, 3000 x 2800mm. Collection of the Wallace Arts Trust

With these newer sculptural figures (in his 2010 Jensen exhibition and the earlier Brooke Gifford show Fallen III) he moved from the darker, waxed concrete surfaces and contorted poses to a freer, poised more natural style. Harrison avoids classical poses or perfect, muscular torsos. His subjects stand splay-footed and sunken-chested, lie heavily pregnant, or crawl painfully, limbs askew – in short he’s capturing real life in his work, depicting age, energy, joy and pain.

So, having successfully created the human form, albeit with all its foibles and imperfections brought to the surface, why has Harrison seemingly moved to the abattoir for his subject matter?

Rather simple, really. Sam Harrison loves hunting. When he’s not sculpting or creating his distinctive woodcut prints, he’s out in the Southern Alps deerstalking.

“I do a lot of hunting, and in spending my time doing this, I’ve come to see my art as a reflection of my life. I don’t want to be pretentious about my art; I want it to be more about me and what I find interesting.”

The wallabies were shot during a back-country hunting trip, and the cow and horse supplied by neighbouring farmers. In the short period he has before the carcass is either cut up or dumped, Harrison works quickly, skinning, gutting and dressing the animals, hanging them and then creating the plaster sculpture over several days.

Crawling Man, 2010, wax on plaster cast, 540 x 1600 x 500mm. Collection of the Wallace Arts Trust

And what he finds interesting about the work he’s doing at the moment (and those who are sensitive or vegetarian may want to turn the page quickly) is that it is freeing up his figure work. Apart from the prosaic reality that the carcass he’s recreating has to be cut up for dog-tucker within a couple of days, or the blowflies and whiffy odour mean that his studio is serious face-mask territory, for Harrison there’s an important artistic focus. “I’m not dealing with personality. These works are an idea as opposed to a natural thing, and I can make them how I want to. With the human figures I sculpt, it doesn’t come as easily, and even though I’m often distorting the reality, I find it hard to free myself creatively. I’m currently finding that the processes I’ve developed with sculpting my figure studies are feeding in naturally to these ‘carcass’ works, and in turn, when I return to sculpting figures, I’m certain I’ll be a lot more relaxed.”

There’s an unique presence inhabiting the works – and ethos – of Sam Harrison. There’s no guile or artifice – when talking to him you are impressed with his genuine love of what he’s creating. He enthuses over the shapes, form and texture of the internal organs of the animals he has killed and dressed, and how he may plan to sketch and sculpt these semi-abstract forms in the future. Although there’s a strong personal voice coming through in his art, it also evokes the work of others – in particular the images of Francis Bacon. And though Harrison’s work lacks the bleak, tormented and alienated undercurrents of Bacon’s paintings, it shares much common ground – Bacon’s fascination with the crucifixion and his obsession with carcasses and corpses. But while Bacon’s overwhelming atheistic pessimism seems borne out emphatically in his words, “Of course, we are meat. We are potential carcasses”, Harrison is still pondering the big question.

“I’m exploring life and death in these carcass works. I look back at a work I did several years ago – a red Christ crucifixion work – and feel it’s no different – it’s still a hanging carcass.” / Dan Chappell

Sam Harrison’s exhibition is at Fox Jensen Gallery, Auckland, from 7 June to 10 July and at Jensen Gallery, Sydney, from 13 October to 12 November.

Roberta Thornley, Couple, 2009, archival pigment ink photograph on Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk paper, 550mm x 300mm. Edition: 3+1 artist’s proof

In search of efflorescence

Whether turning her lens on the forgotten objects of the everyday world, or young people emerging from their teens into adulthood, Roberta Thornley makes potent images that seem to glow with life and make you look twice. Virginia Were reports.

When I visited Auckland photographer Roberta Thornley at her West Auckland home and studio I immediately recognised the immaculate lawn and fleshy banana palm in her lovely tropical garden, which appeared in her 2009 work Float – a sensuous image of a child’s blue paddling pool floating above the lawn. I first saw this quietly impressive work in her show at Tim Melville Gallery in 2009.

Another striking image from this series, exploring the narrative possibilities of ordinary objects, is Couple, two stacks of white plastic chairs in the same lush garden. Though there’s nothing remarkable about these chairs – the sort of thing you might see stacked on the lawn at a wedding reception – through a breathtaking sleight of hand Thornley has transformed them into the bridal couple themselves. And looking at this deceptively simple and formally satisfying work prompts the question whether it’s a particularly fortuitous found image, or whether it has been stage directed. Talking to Thornley it’s no surprise to learn she hired the chairs and then experimented with different sculptural arrangements of them in the back garden.

In these early images by 25-year-old Thornley, who graduated from Elam in 2007, a lot of her current preoccupations are evident, and these works were made when she was only two years out of art school (she didn’t take up photography until her final semester). They belong to a family of images which both animate and elevate ordinary objects – paddling pools, chairs, shrivelled balloons, plastic water bottles, a bunch of bananas – into otherworldly objects breathing life and presence. They emerge from dark backgrounds, glowing with a light that emanates from within – appearing indefinably strange and surreal and compelling you to look at them.

Left: Roberta Thornley, Wrinkle, 2009, archival pigment ink photograph on Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk paper, 550mm x 470mm. Edition: 3+1 artist’s proof. Right: Roberta Thornley, Bananas, 2009, archival pigment ink photograph on Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk paper, 550mm x 470mm. Edition: 3+1 artist’s proof

Efflorescence (from the French word florere – bloom) is the quality Thornley strives for and this is what she will explore in her exhibition at the Aotea Centre as part of the Auckland Photography Festival in June 2011. She received the photography festival trust’s inaugural commission, which supports a leading photographic artist to make at least three works for the festival. The trust aims to build a collection of fine art photography by Auckland artists, which will over time become a cultural asset for the city.

For the commission she will look at sport: something close to her heart since training every day and playing for four different hockey teams a week while she was a teenager. Thornley says, “I’m not wanting to represent any sport in particular, but what I call ‘backyard sport’. The odd and contradictory thing about being a sportsperson is the time you spend at rest. I’m interested in the sense of anticipation during these moments. The acute awareness of your surroundings and the way your body is changing: the cooling air on your flesh, the discomfort and comfort of heavy breath, limbs splattered with mud, clothing rucked up by movement and sweat running from pores. I call these ‘the barnacles of existence’ – the things that make us aware we’re alive.”

When I suggest she’s someone who’s clearly hardworking and driven, since she still pushes her body hard (she’s running almost every day to get fit for a marathon in order to get into the mood for this latest body of work) not to mention sometimes pushing her photographic models to the limits of their patience and endurance to get the pictures she wants, she laughs a little uncomfortably. “That sounds terrible,” she says, but she doesn’t deny it. However she does explain that during her long portrait shoots, she does a lot of talking about the process and the kinds of images she’s aiming for, emerging often from behind the camera so that taking photographs and interacting with her subjects becomes a seamless process.

Thornley says she’s often surprised by what happens during the shoot as her subjects shed layers of selfhood and the heat from the lights warms their skin and changes their eyes. The final images track these rapid, dynamic interactions between subject and photographer. “The photos at the start of a shoot are totally different from those at the end because the relationship has changed. I find it really stressful at times having to push people, because I know where I want it to go and to get there takes time. But you also have to be open to letting things take their course, and to dropping your initial vision if instinct sends you in a different direction.”

Left: Roberta Thornley, Crying my Mother’s Tears (Meme) 2010. Archival pigment ink photograph on Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk paper 800mm x 640mm Edition: 3+1 artist’s proof. Right: Roberta Thornley, Hayley, 2010, archival pigment ink photograph on Ilford Galerie Gold Fibre Silk paper, 780mm x 520mm. Edition: 3+1 artist's proof

The photograph of her mother, Crying my Mother’s Tears (Meme), which was included in Christchurch Art Gallery’s exhibition Uncanny Valley, was probably the hardest portrait she’s ever done. “I was connected to her in a totally different way and I had this idea that I wanted to see her almost on the verge of tears. Carrying not only my tears but generations of tears through my grandmother (Meme) to me. Getting her to that point was very difficult and in the end she said, ‘I have to stop; I’ve had enough’. Even then I wasn’t sure that I had what I wanted.”

But looking at this psychologically intense portrait it’s clear there has been some alchemical magic between photographer and subject – we see the woman’s emotions laid bare: a mix of anxiety, uncertainty and vulnerability.

Roberta Thornley, Mother, 2007, C-Type photograph mounted on aluminium, 300mm x 550mm. Edition: 3+1 artist’s proof

Another visceral portrait is Mother, 2007, a dramatic and somewhat agonising image of an elderly woman’s legs clad in a white nightgown and emerging from an engulfing field of darkness that dominates image. The sense of suffering in this image is palpable. Gerald Barnett (Real Art Roadshow’s The Big Book of Essays) writes of this image: “We feel for the apparent distress of the subject. Her feet seem to express anguish. The title, Mother, tightens the screw on our emotional discomfort as we imagine our own mother in such circumstances. We might also ask ourselves: would she want to be photographed in this state?”

Thornley’s 2010 series Tomorrow is a suite of six images of late teens photographed against dark black space, and like the objects in her earlier works, their torsos and faces glow in the darkness. As in all of her images there’s an obvious classical beauty in the lighting and composition, as well as the notion that beauty can be found in unexpected places. These are portraits of young people emerging into adulthood, which are reminiscent of Bill Henson’s sensuous portraits of adolescents, but unlike Henson, Thornley has taken them as an insider and remarks that when she took these images she was in her early twenties – not far removed from this time of life herself.

Roberta Thornley. Photo: Simon Devitt

The soft, modulated light and profile or three-quarter poses come from early quattrocento painting. Above her desk and pinned to the wall is a print of Caravaggio’s painting from a later period. Boy with a Basket of Fruit, c 1593, is an exquisite portrait of a 16-year-old boy in which the texture of the bared skin of his shoulder, the drapery of his garment and the skin of the peach in his basket are all lovingly rendered. It’s this acute awareness of texture that can be felt in Thornley’s images also, and she likens her love of photography to the experience of a child in a shop who’s not allowed to touch anything. “And it’s that relationship of looking but not being able to touch that creates a powerful tension; I’m creating things that are very touchable, andI sculpt them and mould them.”

While Thornley was at Elam she worked in the fields of sculpture and painting and not surprisingly her directorial approach to photography derives from her sensitivity to both these media. “When I’m thinking about how I might clothe a model who is sitting for me I think sculpturally quite a bit – about texture and how something might sit on something else; how a fold might work.”

Her relationship to commercial photography is interesting too, and the assuredness in her images in terms of their formal compositions, velvety lush surfaces and stage-managed drama is something you might also recognise in a high-end fashion magazine like Italian Vogue. In fact Thornley worked as a commercial photographer’s assistant for several years after art school – an experience she describes as a valuable apprenticeship.

With three solo exhibitions at Tim Melville Gallery and the inclusion of her work in group shows at Christchurch Art Gallery, Dunedin Public Art Gallery and Stills Gallery, Sydney, Thornley is most definitely a young artist with a very exciting future.

Roberta Thornley’s work will be in Auckland Festival of Photography’s Annual Fine Arts Commission exhibition at the Aotea Centre Gallery, Auckland, from 10–24 June.