Exhibition Visit

Last week was a very cultural week. I had not been to Pataka Museum of Arts & Cultures, Porirua, for awhile and all the exhibitions were new. I timed my visit so that I could attend a talk by American Academic, Joelene Rickard (Tuescarora Nation lineage), titled Art History and the American Indian Programme. She is an artist and art historian from Cornell University, and has been active in curating American Indian exhibitions. While in Canada last year I spent time viewing such exhibitions so her talk gave me an additional insight into what I had seen.
An artist and Associate Professor (photography), Joelene informs her students that they have to take 10,000 photographs before they start seeing, taking photographs that are uniquely from their own vision. Until then, they are simply photographing what everyone else has photographed already.
I wonder whether we could apply this to our own textile works. The quantities could be reduced somewhat, say 100+, and after that perhaps, just maybe, we would be working with our own artistic voice. Worth some thought, I feel.

On display in the Blue Pacific Gallery at Pataka is new works from the Port Nicholson Handweavers, until 14 February. This local group consistently produces work of a high standard.

Other exhibitions are Mua ki Muri, six contemporary Maori Artists (February 7); Sleight of Hand, impressive charcoal drawings by Lorene Taurerewa (February 7); Matawhero: Bullet Holes and Bandages by Peter Adsett (March 14); and Dispora, six contemporary New Zealand Artists (January 31).

Shane Cotton, Eden to Ohaeawai 1998 - 2000



Lorene Taurerewa, charcoal drawing

Art images from Pataka website