Michael Hight Exhibitions

Looking South

20 Oct - 7 Nov 2007

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Artists

Exhibition Works

ODT in Otakau
Geoffrey Notman ODT in Otakau (2007)
Scraper
Simon Edwards Scraper (2007)
Night Exchange
Simon Edwards Night Exchange (2007)
Carpark At Westpak Trust Stadium (2007)
Simon Edwards Carpark At Westpak Trust Stadium (2007)
Nikau
Stanley Palmer Nikau
Beside the Road
Stanley Palmer Beside the Road
Oparara
Stanley Palmer Oparara
Cambrians
Michael Hight Cambrians (2007)
Waipiata
Michael Hight Waipiata (2007)
Ida Burn (2007)
Michael Hight Ida Burn (2007)
South Morning I
Callum Arnold South Morning I (2007)
South Morning II
Callum Arnold South Morning II (2007)
Cosy Nook (MH7) (2007)
Tony Bishop Cosy Nook (MH7) (2007)
Return Home (MH23) (2007)
Tony Bishop Return Home (MH23) (2007)
DIY Weekend At The Crib (MH20) (2006)
Tony Bishop DIY Weekend At The Crib (MH20) (2006)
Wildlife
Neil Frazer Wildlife (2004)
Island
Neil Frazer Island (2004)
Evader
Neil Frazer Evader (2003)
What We Destroy
Nigel Brown What We Destroy (2006)
All Given
Nigel Brown All Given (2003)
Timber Creek Danseys (2007)
Bruce Hunt Timber Creek Danseys (2007)
Slopes of the Kattothryst (Kakanui Mtns) (2007)
Bruce Hunt Slopes of the Kattothryst (Kakanui Mtns) (2007)
Rain Shadow Lindis
Bruce Hunt Rain Shadow Lindis (2007)
The Lark Ascending 3
Peter James Smith The Lark Ascending 3 (2000)
The Last Retreat Of The Katimamoe
Peter James Smith The Last Retreat Of The Katimamoe (2007)
Puysegur Paint Light House From Coal Point In Otago's Retreat (2007)
Peter James Smith Puysegur Paint Light House From Coal Point In Otago's Retreat (2007)
Occupied Territory I
Garry Currin Occupied Territory I (2007)
Occupied Territory II
Garry Currin Occupied Territory II (2007)
Lament For a Braided River
Garry Currin Lament For a Braided River (2007)
Harbour Cone
Scott McFarlane Harbour Cone (2005)
Mount Charlotte, Seacliff
Scott McFarlane Mount Charlotte, Seacliff (2003)
Papanui Cone
Scott McFarlane Papanui Cone (2005)
Lake Line
Elizabeth Rees Lake Line (2005)
Duo Chrome I
Elizabeth Rees Duo Chrome I (2003)
Peak
Elizabeth Rees Peak (2005)
The Farm
Bob Kerr The Farm (2007)
Ahuriri River
Bob Kerr Ahuriri River (2006)

Exhibition Text

The South Island landscape as a subject in New Zealand art has been predominant, and through this visual history particular stylistics and points of view – such as Man Alone and the Romantic Alpine Landscape – have entered the general currency of New Zealander’s and become regarded as cultural matters of fact.

Looking South is an important group exhibition which presents many of the new, more considerable dialogues about the South Island landscape, and revealed in this process is a significant change of perception, identity and the advent (as in re-invigoration and re-emergence) of geographic, provincial regionalism.

In the works of Michael Hight, Geoffrey Notman, Callum Arnold and Simon Edwards a farmed, peopled, substantially modified or altered landscape is revealed. This is contrasted sharply by Stanley Palmer’s nostalgic portrayal of Karamea and the West Coast, Bruce Hunt’s line of sight, topographical studies of the interlocking rhythms of the Otago highland landscape, and with Neil Frazer’s ‘as if hewn’ from the very mountains, rocks and snow-covered faces of the Southern Alps.

Scott McFarlane builds myths and reaches out to the spirit of the land. Nigel Brown uses object symbolism, his trademark narrative techniques including the physical architecture of words to evoke and question. Garry Currin likewise questions, identifying change, use and consequence as never-ending. Tony Bishop establishes visions of paradise, the joyous sense of summer holidays and then reveals this to be under-threat, destabilised. Peter James Smith amalgamates the romantic sublime and scientific knowledge. Bob Kerr slices the landscape into unusual, elongated panoramas. Elizabeth Rees presents the alpine landscape transformed by referred light, shows how the common sunrises and sunsets can and do cause the extraordinary.