read about TJ McNamara's review in the Herald in the Art News.

Zarahn Southon's exhibition Istoria clearly outlines this artist's remarkable talent for figurative painting. Southon (Ngati Tuwharetoa) is part Maori, Samoan, and Pakeha. He identifies with each, and expresses his ethnic affiliations within his unique painting, where influences are a fascinating blend of historical as well that the personal-present.

Southon is greatly impressed and influenced by historical painters of classicism and other highly figurative styles, for example Lindauer, Friedrich or Rembrandt. His works typically depict Maori myth and/or friends and family - composed in formal arrangements that are effected by stylistic influences from the great European painters and their traditions.

The self-portrait is a dominant vignette within this group of paintings, and ties the works in tightly to the small intimate field of personalities that include mainly various family models and the artist’s girlfriend. Southon paints people with whom he has intimate relationships. This is an important part of the 'meaning' of his work, and of the process, therefore the outcome. The 'reality' of his models assists with the cultivation of weight and personal significance in the work. Te Porere includes family and friends within a highly stylised and romaticised depiction of Maori-Pakeha conflict, thus bringing together (with a certain amount of irony), the ethnic connections and personal interests of the artist.

Zarahn Southon is less interested in historical fact than with the creation of a new reality that is based on, and exists because of, the past. More importantly, he depicts his affiliations and his passions. His work is largely concerned with contemporising and personalising the old masters’ style of painting that he so admires. There is great drama in his use of shallow space, high contrast lighting, and theatrical arrangements of figures (alluding to so much great western art). The classical styling gives a timeless grace and pertinence to these contemporary and now timeless subjects.

Southon calls upon a rich base of cultural heritage to inform his life and art, but he considers himself to be a painter before all other things. His deep commitment to perfecting his meticulous technique is very apparent in his approach to his work.

He has recently won a scholarship to study in Italy next year at the prestigious Michel John Angels’ Academy of Art In Florence. He will explore his skills further here, amidst other significant and accomplished practitioners of classical painting.