Explore The Radical Portraiture Of New Zealand’s Modern Master Toss Woollaston

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata is thrilled to announce the upcoming exhibition, Toss Woollaston: Figures from Life. This exhibition will showcase the groundbreaking portraiture of one of New Zealand’s most celebrated modern artists. Opening on November 21, 2024, and running through February 9, 2025, it offers a fresh perspective on Woollaston's innovative approach to portrait painting.

While renowned for his landscapes, Toss Woollaston is also one of New Zealand’s foremost portraitists. His 1936 painting Figures from Life is heralded by art historian Jill Trevelyan as “arguably New Zealand’s first modernist portrait,” marking a pivotal moment in the country’s art history.

Jaenine Parkinson, Director of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery, states, “This exhibition repositions Woollaston as a modern portraitist of equal stature to his landscape work. His radical experimentation and commitment to capturing the essence of his subjects, without flattery, laid the groundwork for a new approach to portraiture in Aotearoa.”

Featuring nearly 60 artworks the exhibition is the culmination of years of collaboration and dedication. Parkinson acknowledges the invaluable contributions of the Woollaston family, particularly his son Philip Woollaston, and curator Dr Jane Davidson-Ladd, who has selected works spanning over six decades of Woollaston’s figure drawings and portraits.

Philip Woollaston reflects on his father’s artistic process: “He aimed to capture a natural unselfconsciousness in his subjects, the antithesis of traditional portraiture with its emphasis on decorum. He saw no meaningful distinction between people and landscapes as subject matter and with its focus on his portraiture, this exhibition addresses the imbalance in how his work is perceived and celebrated.”

Curator Dr Jane Davidson-Ladd highlights Toss Woollaston’s journey from aspiring poet, with surprisingly little formal art education, to pioneering artist, emphasizing the early influences of figures like R. N. Field and Flora Scales. She draws attention to Woollaston’s close relationships, particularly with his wife Edith—who was his ‘everyday’ muse—which greatly enriched his practice and fostered a unique intimacy in his work.

“Figures from Life not only showcases Woollaston’s artistic evolution but also invites viewers to reflect on the human experience and different ways of seeing and being seen. Through this exhibition, audiences will gain insight into a radical vision that revolutionised New Zealand portraiture.

From the mid-1930s onward, Woollaston’s approach to portrait painting was groundbreaking, differing markedly from anything previously produced here. He moved away from traditional concerns with naturalistic likeness and perspective, instead creating portraits that evoked their subjects through bold, spontaneous lines, stylized forms, and vibrant colors. Despite facing limited initial critical encouragement, he steadfastly pursued his artistic vision, drawing inspiration from masters such as Paul Cézanne, Hans Hofmann, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse,” Davidson-Ladd says.

Toss Woollaston: Figures from Life is free to the public and will open on November 21, 2024, running through February 9, 2025.

For more information, visit the https://www.nzportraitgallery.org.nz/

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