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Sculpture On The Gulf Announces Preliminary Artist Lineup For 2024’s “Anything Can Happen” Exhibition
The outdoor exhibition showcasing art and sculpture on Waiheke Island, Perpetual Guardian Sculpture on the Gulf (SOTG), today announces its preliminary artist lineup and Gateway Pavilion installation promising to captivate audiences in 2024.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, the renowned event scheduled for next February will once again be nestled amidst the breathtaking backdrop of Matiatia Bay on a 2.5 km coastal walkway. Over the next seven months New Zealand-based and linked artists will work on ambitious art installations to present.
SOTG curators Robert Leonard and Brett Graham say, “We wanted to make an exhibition that might surprise audiences familiar with Sculpture on the Gulf from previous years. That’s why we gave it the title Anything Can Happen.
“While the full artist lineup is under development, preliminary artists confirmed to participate in Sculpture on the Gulf include a diverse range of approaches and perspectives to ensure an immersive and engaging experience for all visitors.”
From large-scale sculptural installations that explore indigenous histories, politics, and philosophies of Brett Graham (Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Tainui) to Eddie Clemens exploring the intersections of film, photography, and performance. Natalie Guy is a sculptor who explores the legacy of mid-century modernism through her work.
SOTG is also delighted to announce 2024 will mark the events 20th anniversary, with a Gateway Pavilion project titled Tall Hutt to be installed on the Matiatia foreshore.
Tall Hutt is a collaboration between Moller Architects and artist Areez Katki and the sculpture will welcome visitors to the exhibition and set the stage for the visual feast for your senses that awaits. The lightweight wooden frame, cloaked in fabric and woven with pattern and colour, will be a celebration of its surroundings and the traditional construction techniques of the Pacific. Deeply rooted in its place on the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana, the pavilion will reflect a volcanic formation; a 12m vertical shaft spirals upward, drawing together the land, the sea, and the sky.
As the newly appointed director of SOTG, Fiona Blanchard is thrilled about the opportunity to lead the exhibition into its next phase.
"After two decades of Sculpture on the Gulf, we’re excited to present a fresh, fully curated exhibition that showcases significant artists and explores contemporary and unexpected approaches to sculpture,” says Fiona. “From the time visitors arrive and witness the towering beacon of Tall Hut on the Matiatia foreshore, they will be surprised, intrigued, and excited by the exhibition and the Waiheke experience. It will be a truly immersive opportunity where ‘anything can happen’. We can’t wait for everyone to join us at Sculpture on the Gulf 2024.”
SOTG will open to the public on 24 February and will run until 24 March. The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of events, including artist talks, workshops, and guided tours, providing visitors with an opportunity to delve deeper into the world of contemporary sculpture.
The preliminary artists confirmed for the SOTG 2024 are:
| Martin
Basher b. 1979, New Zealand. Based in New York. Represented by Starkwhite. | Martin Basher is known for his paintings and sculptures that explore the forms of imagery of retail space, challenging conventional hierarchies and divisions between products to reveal unspoken aspirations and desires associated with consumption. | ||
| Eddie
Clemens b. 1977, New Zealand. Based in Auckland. eddieclemens.com | Eddie Clemens explores the intersections of film, photography, performance, and sculpture to create unconventional narratives through physical artifacts, drawing inspiration from film and television and creating connections between objects and the stories they tell. | ||
| Brett Graham
(Ngāti Koroki Kahukura,
Tainui) b. 1967, New Zealand. Based in Auckland. Represented by Gow Langsford. | Brett Graham is known for his large-scale sculptures and installations that explore indigenous histories, politics, and philosophies, often addressing issues of imperialism and blending traditional craft with contemporary themes. | ||
| Natalie Guy
(Ngāpuhi,
Ngāruahine) b. 1964, New Zealand. Based in Auckland. natalieguy.com | Natalie Guy is a sculptor who explores the legacy of mid-century modernism through her work, questioning and reinterpreting its iconic nature while acknowledging her urban surroundings and drawing from various influencers such as Jane Drew, Isabelle Graw, Hito Steryl, and Nicholas Bourriaud. | ||
| Lonnie
Hutchinson (Kai Tahu, Ngāti Kuri ki Kai
Tahu, Samoan) b. 1963, New Zealand. Based in Christchurch. Represented by Milford Galleries. | Lonnie is a leading Māori and Pacific artist whose work explores indigenous histories, women’s histories, and craft practice through various mediums, incorporating Māori motifs and capturing the interplay of form, light, and shadow to articulate a Polynesian worldview and generate conversations about culture, gender, and sexuality. | ||
| Areez
Katki b. 1989, India. Based in Auckland & Mumbai. Represented by Tim Melville Gallery, McLeavey Gallery, and Tarq Gallery (Mumbai). | Areez Katki is a multidisciplinary artist and writer whose work explores his genetic heritage and landscape through various mediums, addressing spirituality, identity, and sexuality while also questioning the political nature of craft; his work has been exhibited globally, and his writing has been published in various publications. | ||
| Zac
Langdon Pole b. 1988, New Zealand. Based in Auckland and Berlin. Represented by Michael Lett Gallery. | Zac Langdon-Pole is known for his work in photography and sculpture, exploring themes of memory, translation, and the organisation of social and natural worlds, with recent projects including exhibitions in New Zealand, Australia, France, and Berlin, and being selected for prestigious awards and residencies. | ||
| Isabella
Loudon b. 1994, New Zealand. Based in Wellington. Represented by Robert Heald Gallery, Wellington. | Isabella Loudon’s sculptures, made from delicate fabrics dipped in thin concrete, appear both solid and fragile, reflecting the artist’s exploration of the contrast between external presentation and internal vulnerability while also evoking a range of interpretations from viewers, from industrial explosions to ancient artifacts to futuristic architecture. | ||
| Denis
O’Connor b. 1947, New Zealand. Based on Waiheke. Represented by Two Rooms Gallery. | Denis O’Connor is a renowned ceramist, sculptor, and writer known for his limestone carvings and slate engravings that draw inspiration from Irish and New Zealand literature and history, and he has received numerous prestigious awards and residencies for his work. |
ENDS
For additional details about Sculpture on the Gulf 2024, such as a media kit, information about the chair, director, curators, and artists, as well as images, please visit https://sotg.nz/.
For
images of Perpetual Guardian Sculpture on the Gulf
2022, visit Peter
Rees Photography.
To download images, enter the
password: Waiheke. Please credit images to Peter
Rees.
About Sculpture on the
Gulf:
Sculpture on the Gulf is a biennial
exhibition that showcases contemporary outdoor sculpture in
the picturesque setting of Matiatia Bay, Waiheke Island.
Since its inception 20 years ago, Sculpture on the Gulf has
been dedicated to promoting and celebrating the work of
artists from New Zealand and beyond. The event has gained
international recognition for its commitment to artistic
excellence and its ability to engage and inspire audiences.
The exhibition takes place along a 2.5 km trail, allowing
visitors to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of
Waiheke Island while experiencing a diverse range of
sculptures. From large-scale installations to intricate and
delicate pieces, Sculpture on the Gulf offers a unique
opportunity to engage with art in a stunning outdoor
environment. For more information about Sculpture on the
Gulf, please visit www.sotg.nz.
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