Beneath the Ranges

A small exhibition of paintings, drawings and prints with subject matter centred on people involved in primary agricultural production – working the land. The works are by leading mid twentieth-century, mainly Canterbury-based artists: Francis Shurrock, Juliet Peter, Russell Clark, William Sutton, Rita Angus, Olivia Spencer Bower, Colin McCahon and Toss Woollaston.

The selection reflects the ways in which New Zealand European artists in this period were seeking out distinctively local content. Together, their works speak of an emerging artistic culture and an increasing sense of local belonging. We also discover stories directly linked to life experience for each of the artists.