Pacific artifacts Exhibition to Open at Exalt Gallery
Local artist Sandy Rodgers will be exhibiting her latest series of distinctive artworks entitled ‘Pacific Artifacts’ at
Wellington’s Exalt Gallery in April.
The unique artworks focus on particular subjects, geographical areas and elements of New Zealand’s history. Each
artifact incorporates a mixture of original images and real historical information including; maps, dates, place names,
old scripts, flags and images.
Pacific Artifacts have been inspired by Rodgers recent historical tour of New Zealand. Her explorative research
included: the far north’s Russell (Kororakea), where the British Government was first established; The East Coast and
Poverty Bay, where Captain Cook first landed; through Rodgers’ own tribal districts of Tuwharetoa and Ngati Raukawa; the
Queen Charlotte Sounds, Cook’s favourite resting spot; Akaroa, where the French established a colony.
Sealed at the back of the artworks are unique envelopes containing all the information that Rodgers’ compiles while
researching her chosen subject. Research is undertaken at Alexander Turnbull and Te Papa libraries, museums, historical
buildings and sites. Enclosed in these envelopes are typed collaged pages of notes and the information pertaining to the
watercolour images, early maps and kowhaiwhai designs. These envelopes are only to be opened by the new owner.
‘The Pacific Artifacts will be covering a very broad spectrum of New Zealand’s history’, says Rodgers. ‘The fact that
each piece has a mixture of original images and real information make them not only an artwork to hang on the wall, but
also a reference piece to be learned from….for me they are works for all people of New Zealand’.
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