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Myth & Shadow - The power of landscape and place
Darlene Te Young Pod Gallery 1st - 26th April 2025 Opening – Friday, 4th April. 5 pm With live music from Darlene & friends & poetry by Arthur Amon. "An investigation of mood, melancholy, and transcendence within landscape by blurring boundaries between known place and imagination. Acknowledging the significance of place to our identity and how perception of shared landscape is shaped by individual experience and memory. My interest in this has come about by my return after two decades to live in Whangaparāoa, the place of my childhood. A familiar landscape now seen with different eyes." |
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Where Have All The Apples Gone: Book Launch & Exhibition
Chris Smellie & Guy Wishart Main Gallery and Pip Window Gallery 2nd – 26th April 2025 Opening & Book Launch: Saturday 5th April. 5:30-8 pm "Food is the first of the great pleasures we experience and the last to leave us. This book (and exhibition) is about a particular group of New Zealand food producers for whom the taste experience is significant – orchardists and growers. For author Chris Smellie, this has been a passion project for many years. Chris says, “It began as a record of the fruit growing district of Huapai, which remains still central to the book, but as I wrote and researched I was drawn ever further into many aspects of fruit (and food) production in New Zealand. I reached back to the beginning of the Fruitgrowers Federation and further back again and again until I found the wonderful painting by Hawaiian Herbert Kawainui Kane of an ocean-going waka, Kupe Discovers New Zealand, reproduced early in the text.” The exhibition at Kumeū Arts will include a display of fascinating historical advertising, paintings, and photographs featured in the book. A selection of limited edition prints will be available to purchase through the gallery, as well as signed copies of Where Have All the Apples Gone?. |
Guy Wishart, who has supported the book and exhibition, says that because of “the huge amount of research and data collection he (Chris) needed, it seemed like a forever project, and it did take many years. Now complete, Chris and the small team of editor and artists have produced something quite special.” Don’t miss this opportunity to come along, explore this significant collection, learn about many aspects of our region, the people that shaped and worked the land, and to purchase your copy of this important record." |
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Fa'amoemoe – Hope
Joy Le Mamea Pod Gallery 5th-29th March 2025 Opening – Friday, 7th March. 5-7pm "Grief is a deeply personal and complex journey for many individuals. Lamentation serves as a heartfelt expression of sorrow, free from any timeline, echoing the profound impact of loss. Death leaves an indelible mark, altering us in ways both visible and hidden. Fa'amoemoe is a significant body of work that explores the delicate process of letting go as a pathway to healing. It draws inspiration from Siapo, the intricate traditional Samoan bark cloth, and the transformative therapeutic art practice of "taking it to the wall," to unpack the complexities of grief. Through a reimagined approach to Siapo, the artworks create a space to contemplate the sometimes-abrasive changes that arise from loss, bridging the past, present, and future. Rich in symbolism and incorporating gathering rituals, the marks and motifs in the work reflect links to both Orcadian and Samoan heritage. The innovative use of everyday items for mark-making, derived from traditional Siapo patterns, transforms domestic household items into tools for releasing sorrow. Ultimately these artworks serve as a powerful invitation- a call to witness a journey from despair to hope. They weave together artistic methods, spiritual rituals, and cultural practices, as mediums for healing and introspection. Each piece stands as a lasting legacy preserving family stories that inspire future generations with encouragement and hope." |
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The Force of Women
Margie Phillips and Madelaine Abey-Koch Main Gallery and Pip Window Gallery 5th – 29th March 2025 Opening: Saturday 8th March. 2-4pm (celebrating International Women's Day) "Our collection of ceramics explores the unwavering spirit and determination of women throughout history, from the sophisticated societies of the distant past to our present day existence. The women of early groups of humans were partners in the struggle for survival in extremely adverse conditions as well as being revered for their life giving capabilities. Fables and myths, honored the multidimensional aspects of being female. Shape changing goddesses were symbolic of fertility and the unity of the life/ death cycle, and were appealed to in sacred rites. Resilience, sacrifice and transformation have shaped the lives of women in every era. In a world often defined by patriarchal values, women have had to fight for justice, equality and respect and even for their existence. These pieces are our personal tributes to the lives of women of all societies, reflecting also, our own experiences. Much like the development of a woman, our medium clay is soft when being formed, hardens in air, and is transformed in fire." |
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Unpacking
by Arwen Flowers Pip Window Gallery (on rotation) 24th Jan – 26th Feb 2025 "Boxes are designed to keep the contents safe. Yet, while sorting through family belongings stored in various boxes made from cardboard, I noticed each one had deteriorated, endangering the items inside. The damaged packaging jeopardised the preservation of objects representing my family history and, subsequently, my sense of self. I made these artworks using methods and materials that capture my feelings of concern in this context." Read More - link below kumeu_arts_pip_window.pdf Image shown - Miscellania, © Arwen Flowers, 2024. Paint and mediums on board, 800 mm x 1220 mm. $1600 |
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Our Aotearoa 2025
Jan 24th to Feb 26th Opening: Friday 24th January 5pm-7pm Kumeū Arts Members Exhibition ‘A summer exhibition celebrating Aotearoa’s natural environment and beauty - Focusing on the things and places we love’. 76 entries from 33 artists, exhibiting a range of different styles and mediums. |
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