Selwyn Wilson, Study of Head, 1948, Oil on Board, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki, purchased 1948
Two Concurrent Exhibitions
13 October - 7 December, 2008
Turuki, Turuki! Paneke, Paneke! - When Maori art became contemporary
An Auckland City Art Gallery Touring Exhibition
PLUS
Turning Point – Maori and Modernism and the Fifties
A Whangarei Art Museum Exhibition
The Whangarei Art Museum presents two concurrent exhibitions, Turuki, Turuki! Paneke, Paneke!: When Maori art became contemporary and Turning Point – Maori and Modernism and the Fifties. Curated by Ngahiraka Mason, Turuki, Turuki! Paneke, Paneke!, travels to Northland to acknowledge these artists; Arnold Manaake Wilson, Ralph Hotere, Muru Walters, Katerina Mataira and the late Selwyn Wilson. And Northland’s pivotal role fifty years ago in changing the art historical cycle forever. A special Memorial Wall at the entrance to the show will honour the late Selwyn Wilson (1927 - 2002) who was loved by all who came into contact with him and influenced the lives of many in Northland through his creative teaching and wisdom.
The Tovey scheme altered the way young Maori came to understand their own artistic traditions in the context of their contemporary world. The inclusive and remarkable dedication of the teaching team led the way to a more holistic approach to art. Ralph Hotere, Katerina Mataira and Muru Walters were founding members of the outreach programme, whilst Arnold Wilson and Selwyn Wilson among its later advisors.
Turning Point – Maori and Modernism and the Fifties, curated by Scott Pothan, is a contextual and complementary exhibition drawn from the art museum’s collection and archive, and private collections to add further historical dimension and includes a 1950’s installation of furniture, artifacts and ephemera for ambiance and context and engagement. Paintings by Ralph Hotere, Marilyn Webb, Selwyn Muru, Paratene Matchitt and Cliff Whiting.
The 1950’s were a decade of extraordinary creative energy in Northland, becoming in effect, the national crucible for a new era of art education led by the vision of Gordon Tovey and the experimental Northern Maori Project. This exhibition is a celebration of those Northland iconic artists and the key role they played in bringing Northland to the forefront of maori contemporary art, and art into the curriculum in our schools.
Both Ralph Hotere and Arnold Manaaki Wilson were recipients of the Arts Foundation Icon Artist Award in 2003 and 2007 respectively.
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This exhibition is supported by a colour poster, catalogue, gift cards, and an exhibition kit.
This exhibition notice has been edited. The complete version can be downloaded in MS Word or PDF format in the Press Releases section » |
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