So Much There Is exhibition at Studio One Toi Tū

Portraits - Harry Nua

Press Release: So Much There Is exhibition at Studio One Toi Tū

So Much There Is

Studio One Toi Tū, 1 Ponsonby Rd, Auckland

25th August – 15th September

Over 100 people attended the opening of Māpura Studios’ latest exhibition, despite atrocious weather conditions.

Encompassing four of Studio One Toi Tu galleries, the show demonstrates the rich diversity of the community at creative space and art therapy centre Māpura Studios – how we are profoundly different from each other, and yet united through creativity and human experience.

The exhibition title So Much There Is came directly from Māpura Studios’ artist Russell Julian, articulating the ‘everything’ of life: the broad spectrum of people and complexities that saturate our world.

Artworks in one gallery room are hung ‘salon style’, representing as many of the 175 students that can fit comfortably into the space. This visually demonstrates the full impact of So Much There Is - both in art and in the demography of Māpura Studio artists (individuals living with stroke affect, epilepsy, autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, deafness, depression, as well as those who are neuro-typical).

“We make no distinction between these artists, but celebrate the full range of human experience and creativity in action,” says exhibition coordinator and tutor Sacha Kronfeld.

Other rooms showcase the range of classes at Māpura including cartooning, where gallery visitors are invited to add to the work; ‘Artilepsy’ art therapy for people with epilepsy; a volatile and political teen group; and a group of artists living with stroke affect working towards a serious art practice; as well as life drawing, movement and art, and Open Studio classes for artists living with experience of physical and/or intellectual disability.

“This is our biggest and most exciting exhibition yet,” says Māpura Studios Director Diana McPherson. “A diverse and exciting range of artworks are for sale, replicating the colour and complexity that exists in the studio on a daily basis.”

The exhibition and its related activities aim to establish an ongoing, changing dialogue with the public through a series of workshops and creative conversations.

As part of this, Māpura seeks to engage wider community participation in a facilitated public conversation and interactive art projects, raising discussion around disability and inclusion. From this, the creative response will form the basis of collaborative artwork.

So Much There Is runs from 25th August – 15th September

Studio One Toi Tū, 1 Ponsonby Rd, Auckland

Upcoming exhibition events, also at Studio One Toi Tū, include:

Saturday 3rd September, 10.00-11.30am – Participants will create musical soundscapes using voice, drum rhythm, keyboard, percussive instruments and ukulele.

Thursday 8th September at 6.00-8:00pm – A facilitated discussion onthe barriers to inclusion in the art world for people with disabilities, language used, and the role art can play to unify people. The panel includes: renowned artist Jacqueline Fahey; entrepreneur and disability advocate Barry de Geest; art therapist, tutor and deaf advocate Rachel Coppage; Attitude TV producer Tanya Black; and CCS Disability Action Auckland Advisory Committee Chair and Māpura Studios artist Allyson Hamblett; with Listener Editor, columnist, publisher and broadcaster Finlay MacDonald moderating and inviting input from the floor. The discussion will be followed by a collaborative artmaking experience.

Saturday 10th September, 10.00-11.30am – Experience a unique form of printing where various types of wheels (scooters, wheelchairs, pushchairs, trikes, walking frames, roller blades etc.) will be used to make a large collaborative artwork.

Māpura Studios (Panacea Arts Charitable Trust) is a creative space in Fowlds Park, St Lukes, providing innovative and unique programmes of visual art and art therapy for all people, inclusive of those living with diverse disability or who have experienced a Stroke.

For photos of the opening night http://artsdiary.co.nz/86/2261.html or our website www.mapurastudios.org.nz/on now/

© Scoop Media