Major new artwork unveiled for Christchurch

Major new artwork unveiled for Christchurch

Christchurch Art Gallery has unveiled a major new work of art for the city, by highly acclaimed British artist Bridget Riley.

Titled Cosmos and commissioned with the support of the Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation, Riley’s is the fourth of five major works of art being purchased to mark the five years Christchurch Art Gallery was closed following the Canterbury earthquakes.

The large-scale wall painting follows the Gallery’s three other major acquisitions to date – Martin Creed’s Everything is Going to Be Alright, Bill Culbert’s Bebop, and Michael Parekowhai’s bronze bull Chapman’s Homer.

Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation chair Mike Stenhouse says securing a special work from an artist as prestigious as Riley is a major coup for the city.

“To have Cosmos as part of the city’s five major works is an incredible achievement, and it was made possible by the nine individuals and two groups committed to partnering with the Foundation to see the vision become reality. Their generosity means that Christchurch and its visitors can experience something truly special for many years to come.”

Cosmos was commissioned through contributions from 11 donors, all women, and comprises 561 “discs”, precisely hand-painted in three muted colours and arranged as a large rectangle. It forms the centrepiece of an exhibition of Riley’s work – also titled Cosmos – selected to summarise some 60 years of committed practice by the internationally acclaimed artist.

Christchurch Art Gallery director Jenny Harper says the exhibition, which opens to the public tomorrow (Saturday), is a wonderful way to introduce Bridget Riley to the city.

“The Gallery has the special privilege of sharing Cosmos, and nine other incredible Riley works, with everyone who comes through our doors between now and 12 November.

“Bridget is one of the finest painters in the world today and, having known her personally for some 35 years, I have tremendous respect for her work. Its simplicity and precision belies an incredible attention to detail. You could very easily assume her paintings – with their striking, clean lines and vivid colours – had been produced by a machine, but they represent hundreds of hours of detailed research, careful experimentation and exacting skill.”

Harper says that, like Riley’s other works, Cosmos conveys a powerful experience through its use of simple shapes, arrangement and colours.

“The word cosmos refers to the universe being seen as a well-ordered, harmonious system, which, when you approach the painting, is how it appears – a collection of small, equally spaced discs arranged as a large rectangle. As you look closer and more deliberately, however, you can’t help but search for a pattern amongst the colours and their random distribution. It’s a powerful take on the sometimes chaotic world in which we live, and a reminder that we are all part of a much larger whole.”

Riley first emerged on the British arts scene in the 1960s with striking black-and-white paintings. She has experimented with abstraction over a career that spans nearly six decades, with her works held by major art collections around the world. Over the last 10 years, Riley paintings have sold for as much as $7 million, placing her among the top 10 most expensive female artists.

Cosmos was acquired through the Christchurch Art Gallery Foundation with the generous help of Heather Boock; Ros Burdon; Kate Burtt; Dame Jenny Gibbs; Ann de Lambert and daughters Sarah, Elizabeth, Diana, and Rachel; Barbara, Lady Stewart; Gabrielle Tasman; Jenny Todd; Nicky Wagner; and the Wellington Women’s Group.

Bridget Riley: Cosmos is on display at Christchurch Art Gallery from 3 June to 12 November 2017. Entry is free.

ENDS

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