Contemporary New Zealand
Wall Art and Sculpture Exhibition
Gallery 118, Notting Hill, London W11 2RR
16 May – 31 May 2009
‘The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious’ - Albert Einstein
'Tūhura' means 'Discover' in the Maori language - and this exhibition will give British art lovers the opportunity to discover an exciting, colourful and uplifting range of new work by important New Zealand painters, sculptors, carvers and weavers.
Angela Albiston of The
South Pacific Art Company and Robin Saikia of Gallery 118 have joined
forces to present a dramatic selection of recent work by Anthony
Pene, Linda Waimarie King, Denita Tizard, Alby Carter, Katie Brown,
Carmen Simmonds, Jo Cosford, Michelle Retimana, Adrienne Spratt, Rena
Star, Sue James, Leonie Sharp, Noel Osborne, Kate Hill, Timon Maxey,
Marie Grice, Julie Greig and Lynne Sinclair Taylor. A limited number
of tickets for the private view to be held at 4pm on Saturday 16 May
can be obtained from Gallery 118 (gallery118@gmail.com)
or The South Pacific Art Company (events@southpacificart.com).
This event, attended by representatives of the diplomatic and
business community in London, will be enlivened by a traditional
Maori welcome and food and wine from New Zealand. The exhibition is
open to the public from 17 - 31 May 2009, Monday to Saturday 9am -
6.30pm, Sundays 11.00am – 4.00pm and by appointment.
Like their Australian
counterparts, New Zealand artists are steeped in history and
tradition. As a driving force in art, the Maori culture of New
Zealand is every bit as powerful as the Aboriginal culture of
Australia. Artists and craftsmen see themselves as part of an
ongoing tradition, reworking and reinterpreting ancient traditions
and methods in a way that reflects and celebrates New Zealand's
heritage. Colourful, vibrant and uplifting, the work of New
Zealand's leading contemporary artists focuses on the spectacular
natural beauty of New Zealand and the resonant power of the Maori
culture.
Highlights of the
exhibition include Anthony Pene's vast, sumptuous and intricately
textured icons of Maori spirituality, large-scale emblematic
paintings by Linda Waimarie King, wildlife work by the popular
realist painter Marie Grice and a contrasting series of landscapes by
Alby Carter and Lynne Sinclair Taylor that celebrate New Zealand and
the South Pacific. Maori weavers Leonie Sharp and Adrienne
Spratt, and carver Noel Osborne, breathe new life into the powerful
traditions to which they belong. Traditional weaving and carving
design are also echoed in the clay sculpture of Michelle Retimana.
Also represented are spectacularly colourful and stylish glass
sculpture by Carmen Simmonds, Katie Brown, Jo Cosford and Sue James.
This work is enormously popular in the United States and the Far East
and has excited great interest amongst private and corporate buyers
in Europe.
Seen as a whole, the
exhibition emanates a powerful sense of the primal energy and
tremendous natural beauty that continue to inspire and inform the
centuries-old evolving culture of New Zealand's islands. The
curators have prepared a series of short films focusing on each
artist in turn, giving them an opportunity to explain their work and
place it in context. The artists talk frankly and enthusiastically
about their inspirations, what has influenced them and the techniques
they use. These films will be shown daily throughout the course of
the exhibition and can be seen on The South Pacific Art Company’s
website, www.southpacificart.com.
From the collectors’
viewpoint, contemporary art from New Zealand is widely seen as the
next great investment opportunity. In an increasingly tight and
competitive market, with many former high-rollers now strapped for
cash, private and corporate collectors are looking to buy great art
at fair prices. New Zealand art, untouched by the hype and boom that
has accompanied the Australian contemporary scene over the last
decade, is seen by many as an exciting buy. Major pieces can still
be bought reasonably - and an impressive collection can be assembled
without breaking the bank.
For more details or images please contact
The South Pacific Art Company
Angela Albiston
E: angela.albiston@southpacificart.com
T: +44 (0)1903 696437
M: +44 (0)7816 813261
W: www.SouthPacificArt.com/tuhura-exhibition
Gallery 118
Robin Saikia
T: +44 (0)207 7921808
M: +44 (0)779 9644227
A: 118 Westbourne Grove
Notting Hill
London W11 2RR
Image Details
Anthony Pene
Ruaumoko (close up)
2008
Acrylic on board
Full painting 120 x 120 cm (48 x 48 ins)