Past Exhibitions

Masterworks

28 Mar - 21 Apr 2009

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Artists

Exhibition Works

World a Part
Graham Bennett World a Part (2007)
Avignon
Ralph Hotere Avignon (1978)
Baby
Niki Hastings-McFall Baby
Integrity
Nigel Brown Integrity (2005)
Six Days Leave
Garry Currin Six Days Leave (2006)
Vanishing Point 6
Neil Dawson Vanishing Point 6 (2007)
Chard Farm
Michael Hight Chard Farm (2007)
Slice on Mars 4
Galia Amsel Slice on Mars 4 (2008)
Untitled
Simon Kaan Untitled (2004)
Crucifixion
Jeffrey Harris Crucifixion (2002/03)
Clematis III
Tim Main Clematis III (2008)
Love with Tons of Fire
Reuben Paterson Love with Tons of Fire (2007)
Dropped
Lorraine Rastorfer Dropped (2006)
Cube (Black / Red)
John Edgar Cube (Black / Red) (2008)
Nasturtiums
Karl Maughan Nasturtiums (1995)
Twisted Flax Pods #3 & #4
Ann Robinson Twisted Flax Pods #3 & #4 (2008)
Transference (2008)
Claudia Borella Transference (2008)
The Measure of Aoraki
Peter James Smith The Measure of Aoraki (2006)
Peace Offering
Katherine Smyth Peace Offering (2008)
Winter Solstice
Ralph Hotere Winter Solstice (1993)
Untitled
Peata Larkin Untitled (2007)
Reticello Canoe Paddle [MH3]
Luke Jacomb Reticello Canoe Paddle [MH3] (2008)
Two People in Love
Jeffrey Harris Two People in Love (1970)
Operator [JE10]
John Edgar Operator [JE10] (2006)
Cube (White / Red)
John Edgar Cube (White / Red) (2008)
Plain Song: Winter's Brown
J S Parker Plain Song: Winter's Brown (2007)
Common Kotuku
Hannah Kidd Common Kotuku (2008)
Huitanguru/February (2005)
Robert Ellis Huitanguru/February (2005)
Family at Play
Garry Nash Family at Play (1987)

Exhibition Text

Three groups of works – glass, paintings and sculpture – dominate Masterworks '09, representing in-depth the significant artistic achievement in these different mediums.

Ann Robinson’s Twisted Flax Pods (2008) is directly comparable to a similar work just acquired by Te Papa. Garry Nash’s work is likewise held in museum collections worldwide. Family at Play (1987) is a key work from an internationally acclaimed series. Luke Jacomb (solo show currently exhibiting at the Milwaukee Decorative Arts Museum, previously at New Orleans Museum of Art) is represented by an astonishing Reticello Canoe Paddle (2008). Claudia Borella and Galia Amsel exhibit worldwide being acknowledged as internationally significant glass artists – Borella’s Transference (2008) and Amsel’s Slice on Mars 4 (2008) are wonderfully delivered, demonstrating why their works are collected by leading museums.

Neil Dawson’s exploration of the cone form – (see the Chalice in Christchurch’s Square) – has been long-term and central to all his sculptural concerns. The role performed by colour, line-of-sight and form alteration is augmented by shadow, pattern and scale change in remarkable ways in Vanishing Point 6 (2007). John Edgar (who was acknowledged in this year’s New Years Honours for his significant contribution to New Zealand sculpture) is represented by Operator (2006) and two Cube forms (from a series of works to be shown in August this year at Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh). Tim Main and Hannah Kidd who have risen to national acclaim in recent times are represented by works which raise significant questions of cultural values and environmental use.

Ralph Hotere is one of this country’s greatest artists. Avignon (1987) is indisputably a great work and featured in the wonderful recent Ron Sang publication on his most important paintings. Winter Solstice (1993) is equally characteristic but from a seldom available series featuring paper handmade by the artist. Michael Hight’s Chard Farm (2007) is an outstanding painting of the Lakes District and the well-known vineyard. Karl Maughan’s Nasturtiums (1995) is full of detail and deft touches. Jeffrey Harris’s Crucifixion (2002/3) is an absolute masterpiece and in Two People in Love the tenderness of love awaits the falling leaves of autumn. Nigel Brown challenges the power and architecture of words in Integrity (2005) forging a metaphorical relationship with the landscape it obstructs. Reuben Paterson – who will be one of the featured artists in the next Asia Triennial, Brisbane Dec 2009 – explores the languages of fashion and pattern as cultural motifs whilst playing with perception, space and light. A book and survey show of JS Parker’s abstract works is in advanced preparation – Plain Song: Winter’s Brown (2007) is a wonderful container of moment and place.

Robert Ellis, Niki Hastings-McFall, Peter James Smith, Garry Currin, Katherine Smyth, Graham Bennett, Simon Kaan, Peata Larkin and Lorraine Rastorfer are also represented by works of artistic distinction. Masterworks 09 by any criteria applied is a major exhibition and testimony to the unmistakeable success, confidence, depth and breadth of New Zealand art.