Monday, 25 February 2019
Mairangi Arts Centre
The Artists Village, Singapore
Portraiture Exhibition Celebrates International Friendship
Mairangi Arts Centre on Auckland’s North Shore and The Artists Village, Singapore proudly present ‘Portraiture’ an
exhibition that contemplates the nature of identity.
This collaborative display, which opens on Saturday 2 March, features 16 selected artists from each organisation and
celebrates 54 years of diplomatic relations between New Zealand and Singapore. The Artists Village is a contemporary art
group founded in 1988 whose mission is to foster and develop an increased consciousness of the importance of the arts
and their contribution to society. Mairangi Arts Centre has a similar focus, aiming to engage and empower surrounding
communities through the arts. This common ground has provided an ideal basis for this collaborative, thought-provoking
exhibition.
‘In this exhibition, we aim to re-examine the genre of portraiture by subverting the traditional conventions of what
portraiture is or was’ says Shin-young Park, spokesperson for the Artists’ Village. ‘We also aim to represent the
notions of self and identity in all the norms, nuances and eccentricity in today’s life.’
Adopting the distinctive exposition of the portraiture genre as a platform and critique in the principles of humanness
and identity, the exhibition attempts to situate these artworks in the socio-cultural landscape amidst the current
technological and information-laden conundrum. Artists works are in a variety of media with styles ranging from the
traditional through to contemporary.
‘Portraiture’ is funded by Auckland Council Creative Communities scheme, and will be on view from 2 – 25 March, at
Mairangi Arts Centre, 20 Hastings Rd, Mairangi Bay, Auckland. For further detail visit www.mairangiarts.co.nz
ENDS