Kā Kaupapa o te Wā
What’s On
Raymond McIntyre: A Modernist View
New exhibition now open.
Living Archives
Archives that tell stories about artists and history in Aotearoa
Whāia te Taniwha
Māori artists consider the enduring relevance of taniwha in Aotearoa.
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Untitled (Hop Kilns, Motueka) by Rita Angus
This article first appeared in The Press on 28 December 2005
"Malt is the soul of beer and yeast gives it life but the kiss of the hop is the vitality of that life." Tom Inglis
Nelson has long held a strong reputation for growing excellent hops with a substantial industry based on the crop being developed in the region in the late 19th century. Motueka in particular has an extremely suitable climate for growing hops and the majority of New Zealand's hop production occurs within close proximity of the town. By the 1940s commercial production of hops had fully developed into a successful horticultural enterprise which Rita Angus has in part captured in her 1941 watercolour Untitled (Hop Kilns, Motueka).
St Brendan and the Sea Monsters by Robert Gibbings
This article first appeared in The Press on 14 December 2005
At just 14 cm tall, the exquisite St Brendan and the Sea Monsters by Irish-born Robert Gibbings (1889-1958) is one of the smallest works in Christchurch Art Gallery's collection, but carries with it some of the largest tales. A rhythmic composition of swirling sea serpents, stingrays and sharks, this finely-crafted woodcut print tells the story of 6th century Irish explorer-monk St. Brendan, or Brendan the Navigator, whose recorded travels were an important part of medieval European folklore, and which continue to fascinate.
Untitled by Paul Johns
This article first appeared in The Press on 30 November 2005
Christchurch artist Paul Johns consistently surprises with his varied and experimental practice that has spanned nearly three decades. Currently Artist in Residence for 2005 at Tylee Cottage in Wanganui his work makes reference to the environs of Jerusalem (Hiruharama), a riverside settlement of the Wanganui River.
12 Untitled self portraits (Set 6) (Polish mud) by Mike Parr
This article first appeared in The Press on 12 October 2005
90˚ device, beating by Andrew Drummond
This article first appeared in The Press on 14 September 2005
90˚ device, beating by Christchurch sculptor Andrew Drummond has an audible presence in the contemporary gallery of the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū long before it is visible.
Flottage by Carolyn Menzies
Flottage, by expatriate New Zealand artist Carolyn Menzies, hangs on the gallery wall as if washed up by the last tide.
Cats in the Trees by Eileen Mayo
The pair of domestic tigers slink slyly across the surface of the paper, prowling through the branches of a suburban tree, dispatching terror throughout the bird world and trepidation into the lives of assorted dogs.
Povi Christkeke by Michel Tuffery
Povi Christkeke (Christchurch Bull), a large bullock constructed from flattened and riveted re-cycled corned beef tins, is a colourful and seemingly celebratory sculpture. Artist Michel Tuffery constructed two of these corned beef bull sculptures for a ritual performance entitled Pisupo Lua Afe at the 1997 Christchurch Arts Festival. Pisupo Lua Afe was also included at the inaugural Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art in Brisbane 1993.
Large Kitchen Composition by Michael Smither
This article first appeared in The Press on 8 June 2005
In 1965, when Large Kitchen Composition was painted, Michael Smither was a young, emerging artist on the verge of broader success. Since completing studies at Elam Art School in 1960, he had held a number of solo shows in Auckland, New Plymouth and Wellington, returning to his hometown of New Plymouth in 1962, and marrying in 1963 (the future writer) Elizabeth. He was also a new father.
