Bringing light, luminosity and warmth, Illumination captivates, reveals and transforms.

Exploration of light (reflection, refraction, shadow) is integral to sculptural practice. Lonnie Hutchinson and Mike Crawford‘s pleated forms modulate light, offering new ways of seeing and perceiving space and pattern. Light plays a vital role in the viewer’s experience and interpretation of Neil Dawson’s sculpture where shadow is as important as form.

In Te Ao Māori, light and illumination hold deep spiritual and cosmological significance and play a central role in understanding the universe. Lisa Reihana explores the creation story that gave rise to Te Ao Mārama (the world of light). Israel Birch ‘carves with light’ to explore the transformation of intangible, spiritual knowledge into tangible, visual forms. Chris Heaphy employs the illusion of light to create depth, revealing layers of collective memory, cultural symbolism, and fluid identity.

Historically, gold, with its radiant and incorruptible qualities, has symbolised illumination both as a physical light and a metaphor for spiritual and intellectual enlightenment. Ralph Hotere juxtaposes black and gold, creating a powerful tension between light and darkness, reflecting faith, transcendence, and the complexities of the human condition. Roger Mortimer draws on the formal language of illuminated manuscripts, to evoke the medieval tradition of imbuing images with spiritual and moral meaning. Nigel Brown’s glowing, golden painted narratives are layered with irony, cultural iconography, and reflections on New Zealand values.

Illumination is a full-gallery experience exploring light in both its physical presence and metaphorical significance.