Full on art in Wanganui

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Full on art in Wanganui

Wanganui shows off its status as an Art mecca this week, with five exhibitions by Whanganui UCOL Fine Arts and Design students.

As well as showcasing up-and-coming artists and their ideas, the shows are an opportunity to purchase original and innovative art work at reasonable prices (in time for Christmas).

A painting show by second year Bachelor of Fine Arts students marks the beginning of the annual UCOL Artrageous event. The show – called Worlds – features new work by sixteen students and is described as a “painting colourfest” by Quay School of the Arts Acting Programme Leader, Lorraine Webb.

The show opened last night (Monday), with guest speaker artist Paul Rayner, at the Community Arts Centre on Taupo Quay. It runs until Saturday 8 November.

Lorraine says the exhibition is a showcase of dynamic work and imaginations, in the form of installations and 2D paintings, each intended to create a sense of environment and illusory space.

“Several students who grew up overseas have created work which alludes to their childhood or home land: A student from the Galapagos Islands has painted a strange ‘Utopia’ ; another, who spent her early childhood under Communism, has created a child’s fantasy – a series of oil paintings on canvas of jellybeans,” she says.

Subjects vary from traditional portraits to three dimensional conceptual works, including a wardrobe which contains a ‘land’, and strange plants.

Also just open is an exhibition by Year One Fine Arts students, titled Wallpaper, at the Matapihi ki te Ao campus. Lorraine says the annual Wallpaper exhibition is always very popular, giving the public a chance to see brand new talent unfold.

A show of creative photography by first and second year Bachelor of Fine Arts students taking the Photo Elective opens at 6.30 p.m. this Thursday. The show, titled Positive/Negative, will be on at the River Light Gallery at the Matapihi ki te Ao campus in Rutland Street until 30 November. The show is open Monday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Also opening on Thursday is an exhibition on handmade books and 3-dimenstional constructed prints. The student show is tilted Between the Covers and is on at the Alexander Library until 21 November.

Graphic Design/Illustration students from Whanganui UCOL’s School of Design are also showing this week. They are exhibiting 40 illustrations at the Chronicle Glass Studio and Gallery in Rutland Street, near the Matapihi ki te Ao campus.

Their original work takes the form of India ink illustrations on book pages and they are on sale for very reasonable prices. The show runs until 11 November.

ENDS

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