Aratoi’s late summer exhibitions focus on the region’s talented and eclectic artists, through the biennial competition New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty Wairarapa Art Review and our first in a new Artist Showcase series.
Natasha Cousens continues to share the main gallery space with Distant Kinship/Verre Verwanten; her dark fairy tale interprets epic worldwide myths through resin woodland creatures, while the combined show from Dutch and NZ printmakers shows the kinship between both countries and the variety of printmaking techniques. Steve Carr’s exhibition Making Space has been extended until the 6th March.
ConArt Gallery & Studios: Artist Showcase #1
Dates: 12 Feb – 3 April
Four selected artists from ConArt Gallery & Studios come together in the first of a new artist showcase series. Paintings in oil and acrylic, ceramics and photographs sit side by side demonstrating the incredible level of local artistic talent within the region. An artist talk will take place 11am on 12 February.
The four selected artists are:
Mikalya Forster, a self-taught oil painter, realised at age 13 that she wanted to be a full-time artist. Drawing, painting, and art has always been somewhat of a second nature to her.
Lindy McLachlan, a physiotherapist by trade, has a deep passion for painting and gardening and paints in acrylic as a means of escape. She seeks out shapes and lines with colour, and imagines herself in the gardens, treescapes and landscapes that she creates.
Jim Simmons, a photographer whose background lies in photojournalism and architectural photography and many years as a videogame designer.
Shelley Vernon, has lived and travelled extensively and each country has inspired her ceramic expression. She feels instantly connected to the feel of earth and water mashed together when using a potter’s wheel, loving every aspect of clay from throwing, trimming, and glazing – never quite sure of what magic will be revealed post firing.
Making Space – Steve Carr
Dates: until 6 Mar
Steve Carr’s work is focussed on the moment of transformation.
In his first solo show at Aratoi, he uses aspects of everyday life as material for his art practice. Using video as well as sculpture, Carr teases the viewer by making the invisible visible and repeating actions with no fixed conclusion, thereby denying us instant gratification.
The three films are Watermelon (2015), Echo (2018) and Bubble Cactus (2014).
Distant Kinship | Verre Verwanten
Dutch and NZ Printmakers
Dates: until 20 Feb
The exhibition showcases the work of 18 printmakers from Grafiekgroep Bergen in the Netherlands and the Print Council Aotearoa New Zealand. It explores the artistic kinship that exists between the two countries.
Featured New Zealand artists: Jacqueline Aust, Kathy Boyle, Beth Charles, Mark Graver, Steve Lovett, Kim Lowe, Prue MacDougall, Catherine Macdonald, Carole Shepheard.
Featured Dutch artists: Elsbeth Cochius, Gea Karhof, Hans Kleinsman, Madeleine Leddy, Piet Lont, Nan Mulder, Jadranka Njegovan, José van Tubergen, Eric van der Wal.
Beyond the red flowers Natasha Cousens
Sharing the main gallery space with Distant Kinship | Verre Verwanten
Dates: until 20 Feb
Imbued with visual storytelling and wonder, Cousens’ work draws on notions of emotion, spirituality, life, and death, purposely blurring the lines between reality and the more surreal, creating subjects that synthesise familiar forms with that of the ethereal and poetic.
Full of symbolism and reminiscent of imagery found in folktales, fables and myths, these ideas and imaginings, the retelling of stories aim to prompt and make connection of shared emotions and experiences whilst allowing the viewer to create thoughts and stories of their own.
New Zealand Sotheby’s International Realty Wairarapa Art Review 2021
Dates: until 13 Feb
Artists from the Wairarapa submitted their artworks for this biennial award. From sculpture and 3D to paintings and photographs, this review brings out the best artworks from artists within the region. This year’s winners include Harry Watson, Lisa Nelson, Leah Creaven and Jason Burns. All the 79 selected finalists from the 150 pieces that were submitted are exhibited. The People’s Choice Award is selected by public vote and will be announced 13th February.
The exhibition is held every two years since 1999 and presented by the Friends of Aratoi. All artworks are available for purchase.
All award-winning artworks will be exhibited at Schmidt Gallery in Martinborough, following the closing at Aratoi.
