Staff Reporter
New Zealand artists gain new, realistic and creative perspectives after visiting Asia, which can often be ‘mysterious and full of contrasts.’
The works of some of them went on display on February 22 under the theme, ‘Imagine Asia: New Zealand artists respond to contemporary Asia’ at the Pataka Art + Museum in Porirua. The Exhibition, which will be open to the public until May 17 carries the works of 18 artists who participated in the residency programmes of Asia New Zealand Foundation.
China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan were among the countries the artistes visited during the programmes.
Technically diverse
Pataka Director Helen Kedgley said that the ongoing exhibition is technically diverse and richly colourful.
“It conveys a sense of the excitement, wonder and confusion recipient artists experienced during their residencies. Many of whom visited Asia for the first time,” she said.
From bold colours in Bangalore to deep snow in Sapporo, the new paintings bring fresh perspectives of an amazing Continent.
The Foundation has run a programme of artist in residence opportunities in Asia since 2007, exposing New Zealand artists to new ideas and experimental art forms in some of Asia’s most vibrant cities.
