Martinborough artist Jane Kellahan and Turi Park, currently showing work at Cafe Medici are both painting their hearts out to fill the NZ Portrait Gallery [Shed 11 at the Queen’s Wharf in Wellington] with exciting new works, on show from Thursday 26th-29th September.
Both artists work in oils and weave emotion and narrative to create haunting works rich in meaning. This is the first public showing for both artists for 2 years.
“It’s incredibly exciting to have such a fine gallery space, perhaps the most grand ‘art room’ in Wellington, to show these new works” says Turi.
Jane’s work resembles fire and air cast into a turbulent sky while water cascades through the canvas, seeping into the earth below. Birdlife is a major theme through much of the artist’s work. Theatrical like paintings use symbols such as masks and birds to explore themes of courtship, sexuality, relationships and identity.
Many of Turi’s works gestated during his residency at the New Pacific Studio, Pukaha Mount Bruce. Some are situated in the upper Mangatainoka River, and the Rimutaka hill.
Works will be viewable online at www.artenterprise.org from mid September, but the exhibition will only run for 4 days from 26th-29th September. All paintings are for sale.
