Exhibition Visit

My exhibition Fibre Reactive Expressions is now open at the Art Gallery Papakura. It will be there until August 7.

It has been a busy few days. I arrived in Papakura earlier in the day of the opening. I had not ever been to the gallery although I had seen images of it on the internet. And I had not met the Director, Emma, in person, so it was great to be able to do this. Emma has done a great job in displaying my work and I am delighted with how it looks, and the way the pre-exhibition communications have been handled. Because the gallery space is smaller than that where the work was first displayed (Expressions, Upper Hutt) three pieces didn't get hung. This is okay and, as I have said before, it pays not to be too precious about things as, at the end of the day, does it really matter - no! The opening that evening went very well, and there was a good crowd for my talk the following day, many people coming from quite some distance.

This has all been a most satisfying exercise. Thank you Emma and the Art Gallery Papakura!

Outside gallery window announcing the exhibitions, Art Gallery Papakura.

An exhibition view.

Opening function, me, third on the left.

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