I see Red

I see Red
 
Until 21 June 2009

Shaped for younger audiences and the young at heart, visitors to Pataka will be invited to respond to the I See Red exhibition artworks in new ways. This includes looking at them through red glasses and discovering the fascinating tales behind the production of different red pigments - including from dried cochineal beetles, some of which are on display. In addition to this, James Ormsby's folding card kowhaiwhai-covered whare, designed as a portable version of his drawing in the show, is itself a miniature work of art that visitors can construct and take home.

The emotional, cultural and historical power of red is proven through an exciting selection of artworks, predominantly from the collections of Christchurch Art Gallery, by artists including Yuk King Tan, Niki Hastings-McFall, Anne Noble, Shane Cotton, Boyd Webb, Gretchen Albrecht, James Ormsby, Colin McCahon, Louise Henderson, Ann Robinson, Richard Killeen, Margaret Stoddart and Charles Barraud.

The exhibition's curator Ken Hall says '"I See Red has been extremely well received - not just by kids - and enjoyed for its lively mixture of historical and contemporary works, which meet here in unexpected ways. I See Red also contains rich stories, and offers many entry points from which to look at and learn about art. All visitors will make connections and find things that speak to them."

I See Red is a Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu touring exhibition.

THRIFT, Four Quilters
 
Until 17 May 2009

Anna Prussing, Kathy Morrison, Esther Woollaston, Heather Harding.

A fascination with the hand-made seems to be sweeping the country, one of the reasons perhaps for the resurgence of interest in quiltmaking in New Zealand in the 21st century. Environmentally conscious consumers are abandoning excess and seeking unique, authentic products with the 'look of the hand'. Quilts have traditionally been made by hand by stitching scraps of cloth together into pleasing patterns - a thrifty occupation indeed.

As the global financial crisis worsens and people try to live and work in more sustainable ways, the lessons of the 'do-it-yourself' generations seem more pertinent than ever. During thirty years of depression and war, our parents and grandparents met adversity with thrift, and nowhere is this more enduringly evident than in antique textile art.

The traditional quilt has been given a new contemporary vocabulary, as quilters rediscover its potential as a form of self-expression. Yet quilters continue to create their work from recycled fabrics - 'making do' with found textles. The four quilt artists showcased in this exhibition create unique contemporary art quilts from recycled materials - old bedspreads, curtains, clothing and blankets. Katherine Morrison creates bold, abstract quilts from recycled New Zealand blankets. Esther Woollaston scours op shops for recycled fabrics that have been softened by age. Anna Prussing takes great pleasure in using old clothing bought from the op shops in her community, while Heather Harding seeks out discarded remnants of silk and satin. Implicit in their work is a rejection of mass consumption and an awareness of environmental sustainability.

 
Until 7 June 2009

Expressed through photography and film, Face Value conveys the intimacy of Mâori facial moko (tattoo) through six personal stories.

Face Value compels us to be drawn into the everyday space and profound moments before, during, and after the intensely personal process of ta-moko, as seen through the eyes of photographer and multi- media artist Serena Giovanna Stevenson.

Face Value looks at facial ta-moko in its unique environment - absorbing the viewer's attention but refraining from entering into the history, specific cultural knowledge or politics of moko. The scenes are of real people in their homes, familiar spaces, both indoors and outdoors: we experience the sincerity, human impulse and gaze of understanding passing through the eyes of one generation to the next - from grandfather to grandchild, daughter to mother and on and on.

The images - an otherwise simple capture of people, settings and landscapes - reveal themselves to be precious steps along the journey that follows the recipient receiving his or her facial moko from the ta- moko artist, surrounded by the love of family and friends.

THE CRESCENT MOON, The Asian Face of Islam in New Zealand, Photographs by Ans Westra
 
Until 24 May 2009

The Crescent Moon: The Asian Face of Islam in New Zealand was commissioned by the Asia New Zealand Foundation as part of its ongoing commitment to raising awareness and understanding of Asian cultures in our country.

Asia is home to more than half the world's Muslims, and the majority of Muslims who have settled in New Zealand hail from one or other Asian country. In common with many Muslims the world over, Asian Muslims in New Zealand have had to contend with the suspicion that befell them following the tragic terrorist attacks in 2001. The Crescent Moon enables some members of the Muslim community to share their personal stories, in their own words, with accompanying photographs.

DELHI DRAWINGS, Denys Watkins
 
Until 21 June 2009

Delhi Drawings were conceived and executed while on a residency in Sanskriti Kendra in South Delhi. The works are painted with oxides and paints on handmade paper, all of which were sourced from local markets. The drawings were constructed without preconception from everyday objects sourced from the nearby Mehrauli Market which traded in domestic wares, kitchen appliances, haberdashery, fruit & vegetables, spices, household paints, plumbing and building materials.
ONCE UPON A TIME, Jewellery inspired by childhood memories
 
Until 3 May 2009

Jewellers include: Viviene Atkinson, Tara Brady, Natalie Brasell, Kylie Fyfe, Glynis Gardner, Jhana Millers, Neke Moa, Lindsay Park, Kristelle Plimmer, Spring Rees, Sue Shore, Nadine Smith, Margaret Tolland and Kate Woodka.

Au Contraire
 
Until 26 April 2009

An exhibition of quilts from the Coastal Quilters group.

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