Exhibition sure to SPARK interest

Exhibition sure to SPARK interest

One of New Zealand’s most prominent artists will host an exhibition expected to create plenty of interest in Hamilton next month.

Reuben Paterson (Ngāti Rangitihi/Ngāi Tūhoe/Te Arawa/Pakeha/Scottish) is well-known for his signature use of glitter, vibrant colours and bold pattern in his work.

His Tougher than Diamonds exhibition will bring together works from his recent show The Aroma of Black at Milford Gallery Queenstown, as well as three large panels from the seminal work Whakapapa, Get Down Upon Your Knees, which was originally created for the 6th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art in 2009. The huge kaleidoscopic installation records and honours Paterson’s whakapapa.

University of Waikato Art Collection Curator Steph Chalmers says the exhibition will be impressive.

“Standing in front of one of Reuben Paterson’s glitter paintings can elicit an emotional response of pure awe. Taking in the expanse of colour and pattern, and knowing the choice of material is by no means easy to deal with, you can only be impressed,” she says.

Paterson was born in Auckland and has received several awards and residencies, including the Moët & Chandon Fellowship to Avize, France in 1997, and the Goyang Art Studio residency. In 2005 he won the Development Prize in the Wallace Art Awards. He has been exhibiting since 1995 and has had numerous exhibitions in New Zealand and around the world.

To celebrate the exhibition, a function will be held on 13 August at 5.30pm which will be open to the public and followed by a panel discussion entitled Creative Confluences: Merging innovation and trans-disciplinary collaborations. The panel will include artist and academic Lisa Reihana, creative producer Julianne Pierce from Australia, curator Deborah Lawler-Dormer and artist Jennifer Gillam.

This panel discussion and exhibition also act as the closing event of the city-wide SPARK International Festival of Media, Arts and Design.

Tougher than Diamonds is kindly supported by Gow Langsford Gallery and Milford Galleries Dunedin and Queenstown. This event is in association with Wintec and SPARK International Festival of Media, Arts and Design. It will be at the University of Waikato’s Calder & Lawson Gallery at the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts from Monday 10 August to Friday 2 October 2015.

ENDS

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