Link Here to Autumn Catalogue 2010

Link Here to view Images of "Kiwi Soldier"

Emerging Talent  - A Must See at Emerging Artists ShowSeveral up and coming artists exhibiting this month have already stamped their mark on the art scene. The exhibition includes AUT graduate Alexander Bartleet, and Elam graduates Rachel Daddy, Haneui Kim and Emma Topping. Alex Bartleet has won the Mazda Emerging artist award in 2007 and the Team McMillan emerging artist award in 2008. The unique and quirky quality of the artists work has attracted much comment and inclusion in the new art book “Seen this Century” by Warwick Brown.  Bartleet says “I am attracted to things that uncover evidence of their past. In particular surfaces that become blemished and worn over time, exposing sediments, histories and provenances”.  His paintings which incorporate found objects are haphazardly assembled to form a three dimensional artwork. There is a further process involving paint finishes as well but we won’t spoil it for the potential viewer – the works really need to be seen.

Another exciting talent is painter Haneui Kim’s “dreamscapes”. Haneui Kim’s acrylic paintings are based on personal experiences and memories. The images reference accounts of everyday life. Intense and vivid colours collide with apparently random compositions of figures and objects which create dream, fantasy-like, surrealistic images. “What strikes me most about these paintings is their uncompromising originality” says Gallery Director Warwick Henderson. “The genesis of the subject matter can only have come from the artist’s dreams thoughts and imagination. Putting it all down on canvas of course is quite another matter and this is something which has really impressed me”.

Two other very skilful artists on show are Rachel Daddy and Emma Topping. While their styles are quite different both show a high degree of skill and originality.

Emma Toppings paintings are built up through layers of acrylic paint on canvas overlaid with mark-making using pencil. She mixes these forms together to create a view of a new landscape, one of abstracted space. Through the mix of marks and coloured forms her work represents the speed of the modern city depicted with time aged materials of pencil and paint.

Rachel Daddy launches her artistic practice from an environmental ethos. A deep concern for the health of the biosphere has influenced the direction and integrity of this artists work.  The traditional perspective of some Native American communities has had particular relevance: tribes, who relied on the American Plains Bison for all their food, clothing, shelter, had a respectful, spiritual and balanced relationship with the animal that sustained them. Thus the phrase “Use Every Part of the Buffalo” has come to represent an ethic of ecological virtue. “The quality and integrity of Rachel’s technical skills and ideas are palpable” says Henderson. Once again these artworks need to be seen first hand.

Waiheke based artist Loloma Andrews, who is of Samoan descent, and completed a Visual Arts degree through the University of Auckland, researched “Baggage”. “My overseas experiences influence my artwork. Travelling in almost nomadic style and "living from a bag" brought about many questions” say Andrews. “Consideration on memory, migration, de/attachment, culture identity, and journeys are just a few examples. The copper suitcases are memories from my travels.”  These three dimensional copper “sculptures” are very inventive and very original displaying a high degree of craftsmanship – Once again they have to be seen.

The exhibition opens with a Preview on Tuesday 30^th March and runs for three weeks until Saturday 24^th April.Come and view some new and interesting works by a group of talented young artists.