Tears for Tane’s Children
Ian Hamlin. Survivor’s II , 2007, Oil on canvas, Courtesy International Art centre.
e-north
Media Release
Notice of Exhibition
KAURI FESTIVAL
Opposite New Whangarei Library
Rust Ave., Whangarei
c/- Whangarei Art Museum
Website: www.whagareiartmuseum.co.nz
TEARS FOR TANE’S CHILDREN
3rd– 28th September 2007
E-North’s Kauri Festival exhibition “Tears for Tane’s Children” features artworks that record the demise of the New
Zealand indigenous forest through the depiction of the New Zealand landscape and the advancement of the civilised world
or protest at this continuing destruction. Interestingly the earlier works show lush untouched native bush but by the
end of the 19th century the artworks often created in celebration of the advancement of civilisation also show the
encroaching pastoralism of the landscape and the shattered native bush left in its wake. By the 1930’s New Zealand
artist’s such as Eric Lee-Johnson were making work in protest of this destruction but this theme was seen as limited by
the art critics and historians with New Zealand art historian Micheal Dunn commenting in 1945 that” soon the dead tree
was synonymous with a dead end in New Zealand art” [Micheal Dunn, “ Frozen Flames and Slain Tree- The Dead Tree Theme in
New Zealand art of the thirties and forties” Article - Art New Zealand Issue #13. Pg40 – 45. ] , and the “Dead Tree
School “ of artist’s work degenerated to ” pleasant but less important statements” [Ibid Pg.45 ]. New Zealand
contemporary artists though have continued to produce artworks that lament and protest this deforestation and the
growing spread of exotic forests over our land.
List of artists:
Liam Barr, Helen Berronsall, Nigel Brown, Andrew Drummond, T. L. Drummond, Joanna Fieldes, Herb Foley, Ian Hamlin,
Anahera Kingi, Eric Lee-Johnson, Carol Prentice, Jenny Rendall,, Nelson Thompson, Greer Twiss, W. Reed, Warren Viscoe,
Works courtesy of: Whangarei Art Museum Collection, Viscoe Collection, Thompson Collection, George Street Gallery,
Warwick Henderson Gallery; Oedipus R ex Gallery, Vavasour Godkin Gallery, International Art Centre, The Fletcher Trust
Collection and individual artists.
This exhibition will be available on-line to view on the Whangarei Art Museum website: (www.whangareiartmuseum.co.nz)
ENDS