Tag Archives: artists

Farewell Don Binney

16 September 2012 – 1.02pm

We are saddened to hear that contemporary New Zealand artist Don Binney has passed away.  Our thoughts are with Don’s family and friends.

Don Binney, 'Pacific frigate bird', 1968, Te Papa

Don Binney, ‘Pacific frigate bird’, 1968, Te Papa

By Sarah Farrar | Posted in Art, Birds, News | Also tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Red Piano and Bronze Bulls coming to Wellington

30 July 2012 – 10.26am

Michael Parekowhai, He Kōrero Pūrākau mo te Awanui o Te Motu: story of a New Zealand river, 2011. Photograph by John Collie, courtesy of Christchurch Art Gallery, Te Puna o Waiwhetu. Te Papa (TMP013506)

After a successful season at the Venice Biennale, in Paris and Christchurch, Michael Parekowhai’s On First Looking into Chapman’s Homer will make its final stop at the national museum, Te Papa. Opening Saturday 25 August, a specially reconfigured installation will be shown in a single gallery space for four weeks and provides an exciting opportunity to view Parekowhai’s Venice exhibition.

The centerpiece of the installation is an ornately carved Steinway concert grand piano. Painted a vibrant red and titled He Korero Purakau mo te Awanui o te Motu: story of a New Zealand river, it is Te Papa’s latest major acquisition of contemporary art.

Standing alongside He Korero Purakau mo te Awanui o te Motu: story of a New Zealand river  are two black bronze replica pianos complete with two bulls, one standing and one sitting, as well as five bronze olive tree saplings.

Over the four weeks He Korero Purakau mo te Awanui o te Motu: story of a New Zealand river will be performed by top musicians including Gareth Farr, Robert Wiremu and Tama Waipara, and at 12.30pm daily by pianists selected to play this unique piano when it was exhibited in Venice.

In the adjacent galleries Te Papa presents new acquisitions of important works by Jim Allen and Colin McCahon, including McCahon’s painting Koru 1, 2, 3 (1965).

“These three exhibitions provide a wonderful opportunity to engage with some of the most significant examples of contemporary New Zealand art from the mid-1960s through to the present day”, says Sarah Farrar, Acting Senior Curator Art at Te Papa. “It will be an unforgettable one month programme.”

Te Papa would like to acknowledge the support of the Friends of Te Papa, Ernst & Young, Creative New Zealand, and the Wellington City Council.

25 August – 23 September 2012
Level 5, Te Papa
Free entry

By Roxan Mathys | Posted in Art, Events, Museums, News | Also tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

I will need words: collecting great quotes by NZ artists

30 May 2012 – 1.28pm

Recently Te Papa’s art educator Helen Lloyd and I have been working together to compile a list of some of the best quotes by well-known New Zealand artists. Quotes about art and art making. We’re interested in quotes which really get to the heart of why artists make work. Helen, being the educator, is particularly interested in quotes which could inspire children aged 5-8 years old.

Here’s an example:

“I only need black and white to say what I have to say. It is a matter of light and dark.” – Colin McCahon (told to his son William McCahon)

Colin McCahon, 'Scared', 1976, acrylic on paper. Purchased 2008, Te Papa. Reproduced courtesy of the Colin McCahon Research and Publication Trust .

Colin McCahon, ‘Scared’, 1976, acrylic on paper. Purchased 2008, Te Papa. Reproduced courtesy of the Colin McCahon Research and Publication Trust.

Can you help us?
Send us your favourite quotes New Zealand artists by commenting below. The best quote will get a free copy of either Art at Te Papa, or New Zealand Art: From Cook to Contemporary or the soon to be released 2013 Te Papa Diary, all published by Te Papa Press.

Sarah Farrar
Curator of Contemporary Art

By Sarah Farrar | Posted in Art, Collections Online, Education, Kids | Also tagged , , , , , , | Comments (12)

Talking about art

5 April 2012 – 2.34pm

How does jewellery addess issues of identity? What’s the connection between a cruise ship and an ice skating rink? How does photography expose events from the past?  You can find the answers to these and other questions  in the video interviews with artists whose work features in  Collecting Contemporary .  Here’s a glimpse of the artists we’ve filmed:

Over the past year, Collecting Contemporary has shown the work of 41 contemporary New Zealand artists in a fantastic range of media including painting, furniture design, jewellery, photography, sculpture, video and ceramics.   When opportunities arose, the exhibition team filmed interviews with some of those artists, including Jim Allen, Martin Poppelwell, Sriwhana Spong, Paratene Matchitt, Ann Shelton, and Shigeyuki Kihara.  

Warwick Freeman in his studio. Photo by Michael Hall copyright Te Papa

Warwick Freeman in his studio. Photo by Michael Hall copyright Te Papa

Filming in the artist’s studio is truly stepping inside the world of the artist.  The colourful clutter of the jeweler’s work bench is in stark contrast to the minimalist space of the abstract painter.  Artists  Warwick Freeman, John Parker, Maddie Leach, Simon Morris and Lisa Walker  invited us to film them at work and shared some wonderful insights into the creative process. All the artist interviews can be viewed in the exhibition and online.

By Prue Donald | Posted in Art, Collecting Contemporary, Collections Online | Also tagged , , | Comments (2)

An eye for the unexpected: Don Driver (1930-2011)

9 December 2011 – 10.13am

The Art team here at Te Papa are saddened by the news that contemporary New Zealand artist Don Driver passed away yesterday morning in New Plymouth. Although Don had been ill for some time, this sort of news always catches you off guard.

Artist Don Driver in his studio, New Plymouth, March 2004. Photo: Jim and Mary Barr, reproduced with permission.

Artist Don Driver in his studio, New Plymouth, March 2004. Photo: Jim and Mary Barr, reproduced with permission.

Te Papa has a considerable number of works by Don Driver in the collection, including the terrific Lawn cuttings (1976), the large-scale installation Ritual (1982), and the banner work Blue and green Pacific (1978), among others. See all works by Don Driver in Te Papa’s collection

As Curator of Contemporary Art at Te Papa since November 2010, I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time looking and thinking about Don Driver’s work. As I have been getting more familiar with his works in Te Papa’s collection, I have been – in turns – stunned, delighted and perplexed by Don’s singular vision and his approach towards art making.

I had been intending to make a trip to New Plymouth to visit Don and his wife Joyce a couple of months ago. For various reasons, the trip was postponed and I am sad to have lost the opportunity to personally meet this incredible artist.

Don Driver, Yellow skin 90, 1984, mixed media assemblage. Purchased 1985 with New Zealand Lottery Board funds, Te Papa

Don Driver, Yellow skin 90, 1984, mixed media assemblage. Purchased 1985 with New Zealand Lottery Board funds, Te Papa

In celebration of Don Driver’s remarkable work and to acknowledge his contribution to contemporary New Zealand art, Te Papa will install one of his classic assemblages, Yellow skin 90 (1984) next week within the Collecting Contemporary exhibition on Level 5. (Although Collecting Contemporary is Te Papa’s exhibition of recent acquisitions since 2006, we hope that you don’t mind us making this exception to the rule.)

There will be an opportunity to see Ritual early next year when Te Papa lends the work for the exhibition The Obstinate Object: Contemporary New Zealand Sculpture at City Gallery Wellington.

Our thoughts are with Don’s wife Joyce, their family, and friends.

Sarah Farrar
Curator of Contemporary Art

By Sarah Farrar | Posted in Art, Collecting Contemporary, Collections Online | Also tagged , , , | Comments (2)
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