Previous Exhibitions

September 2024 brings together the works of 12 artists in response to the theme UP:
 
Angela Tier - ceramic sculpture

Brett a’Court - oil painting on woollen blanket

Cam Munroe - mixed media paintings on shadow cladding 

Claudia Aalderink - composition from charred recycled beehives

George Agius - hot sculpted glass sculptures

Justin Cook - ceramic sculpture series

Matthew Steedman - oil painting on board

Michele Irving - mixed media wall hangings & wearable art (brooches) 
    
Naga Tsutsumi - charcoal drawings on Fabriano paper       

Sean Crawford - wall mounted sculpture composed from resourced table leg, laser cut steel and powder coat render

Sebastien Jaunas - free-standing and wall-mounted forged steel sculptures

Tony Rumball - oil paintings on canvas

Information on each artist’s works is set out under the images below - be sure to stop by the gallery this month for a closer look! 

Work details

Angela Tier 

Flamingo Urn (2024), ceramic, 560 x 160 x 140 mm

Brett a’Court

Tohu Rises Up (2024), oil on woollen blanket on board, 400mm x 300mm

"Tohu Kākahi and Te Whiti-o-Rongomai were Māori prophets, who led a peaceful resistance against government forces over land acquisition at Parihaka.

Tohu had a vision in which the biblical prince of peace, Melchizedek, came to him, confirming his position as a leader within the Parihaka movement.

Tohu's descendants tell how the Parihaka movement was given divine sanction by the Holy Spirit in the form of an Albatross, later validated by a comet seen over Mt. Taranaki in 1882."

Cam Munroe (individually available)

The only way is 1 (2024), acrylic & mixed media on shadow cladding (framed), 710 x 270 mm

The only way is 2 (2024), acrylic & mixed media on shadow cladding (framed), 710 x 270 mm

Claudia Aalderink 

One Tree Hill (2023), charred recycled beehives on plywood (framed), 330 x 330 x 50 mm 

George Agius (individually available)

Somnus Moe #1 - #5 (2024), hot sculpted glass, each approximately 160 x 250 x 100 mm

Justin Cook

Rituals (2022-23), ceramic sculptures (individually available):

Huia (extinct), 120 x 130 x 300 mm 

New Zealand Goose (extinct), 200 x 100 x 100 mm

Kakapo, 150 x 140 x 150 mm

Giant Gecko (extinct), 190 x 140 x 80 mm

Haast Eagle (extinct), 220 x 180 x 180 mm

"This series is based on the concept of emerging technologies relating to genetic engineering and cloning.

Whilst we haven't yet perfected the 'dance' or 'magic combination of moves', in the near future there is a real possibility that de-extinction could be possible.

The 'angels with dirty faces' in this series represent the next generation of scientists who will possibly, and probably, have the right tools to do the job."

Matthew Steedman

All Fired Up (2024), oil on board, 500 mm diameter

"All Fired Up is inspired by the groundbreaking work at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, where subatomic particles collide at incredible speeds, unlocking new realms of scientific discovery.

This painting captures my vision of such a collision; an explosion of energy and color, where chaos and beauty coexist."

Michelle Irving (individually available)

Flying Feline – Take Off (2024), mixed media wall hanging, 305 x 90 mm

Flying Felines (2024), mixed media wearable art (brooches) - black 60 x 70 mm / ginger 45 x 60 mm

The Amazing Zephyr Cats (2024), mixed media wall hanging, 385 x 80 mm

The Tucci Trio – Woof (2024), mixed media wall hanging, 340 x 120 mm

Naga Tsutsumi

The Tower (2024), charcoal on Fabriano paper, 1100 x 670 mm

Toward the Light (2024), charcoal on Fabriano paper, 780 x 400 m

Sean Crawford

Ngā Anahera i Taku Tēpu - Angels At My Table (2024) - resourced table leg, laser cut steel with powder coat render, 720 x 450 x 230 mm (shown here on both white and black backgrounds)

"In this sculpture a wooden table leg, still carrying its historical markings, no longer supports a physical platform. Free from the burden of function, it becomes a burnt totem - ready for adornment. This reference to a foundation without function challenges pre-existing societal norms by subverting an object that no longer supports anything more potent than meaning.

The introduction of the Kōtuku (White Heron) maps the transference of life force from the living (or natural) world into the celestial realm (Reinga).  Set like handles of a vessel yet to be filled, the work depicts a portal between two worlds, as the birds emerge from a space that cannot hold them. Both Kōtuku heads are fabricated from metal Puawhananga (the New Zealand Clematis) which symbolizes an earthly star.

In white, the heron is shown in its natural hue. The lace like petals, reminiscent of the white tablecloths of yesteryear, gently caress the table-leg as if in mourning for ‘what was’. Juxtaposed in red, the heron becomes the celestial body - a bringer of intense energy.

And the table leg, forever marked by the scorching heat that circled it, represents change, hope and the power of transformation."

Sebastien Jaunas 

Elevation (2024), hand forged steel, 795 x 130 x 200 mm

Untitled (2024), hand forged steel & paint (wall mounted), 1940 x 720 x 180 mm

Tony Rumball

Up From Tarata (2024), oil on canvas, 910 x 610 mm

Mounted (2024), oil on canvas, 760 x 500 mm 

UP is on display until Sunday 29 September – gallery open hours are 11am to 3pm Thursday to Sunday each week