Euan Macleod’s survey exhibition arrives in Ashburton

A PAINTER’S JOURNEY

Painter Euan Macleod working in his Sydney based studio.

Spanning nearly three decades of a prolific career, this exhibition brings together the work of Christchurch born painter Euan Macleod as never seen before on this side of the Tasman. Opening this Friday 7 October the Ashburton Art Gallery will be host to 40 works from this iconic and celebrated artist ranging between 1984 and 2014.

Painter is the first major survey of Macleod’s work to tour New Zealand and explores themes of youth and aging, the relationship between the human body and the environment, and the process of remembering and forgetting.

Gallery Manager/Curator Shirin Khosraviani is eager to open the show to the public. “We’ve been quietly waiting for the arrival of this show for several months now and I’m thrilled to finally have the paintings on our walls and to share them with the community. This is a captivating and striking exhibition that will appeal to anyone who is a lover of landscapes or the human condition,” she said.

Having lived in Sydney for more than 30 years, Euan Macleod is regarded as a true trans-Tasman artist. He continues to exhibit in New Zealand on a regular basis and incorporates scenery and memories of his home country in his paintings. Painter takes you on a journey through the diverse and dramatic landscapes of White Island, the isolated terrain and wildlife of Antarctica, the barren desert land of Alice Springs and the coastal surrounds where the artist grew up in Christchurch.

This exhibition also exemplifies Macleod’s reoccurring interest in the relationship between the figure and the landscape. Gregory O’Brien, Wellington based writer and curator of this exhibition says “Macleod asks us to consider how it is that we are, at once, a part of nature and yet also separate from it."

Macleod was born in Christchurch in 1956 and graduated with a Diploma of Fine Arts from Canterbury University in 1979 before moving to Sydney. He has been the recipient of many prestigious awards including the 1999 Archibald Prize, the 2001 Sulman Prize, the 2006 Blake Prize and most recently the 2009 Gallipoli Art Prize.

Painter by Euan Macleod will open to the public on Friday the 7 October at 6:30pm. Both Euan Macleod and Gregory O’Brien will be in attendance at the opening and will both present a talk at the Gallery on Saturday 8 October at 11am. All events are open to the public.

Painter will be available for viewing from 8 October until the 4 December 2016.

Euan Macleod – Painter is curated by Gregory O’Brien. Toured by Exhibition Services Tours.

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