Latest news with #Govett-BrewsterArtGallery
Scoop
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Multi-Media Artist Maureen Lander Unites More Than 100 Makers For New Exhibition
Press Release – NPDC He Tukutuku Auahatanga is a release of knowledge gradually through creativity and invites audiences to explore concepts of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (relationship through shared experiences and working together), and whakapapa as … A major new exhibition opens at NPDC's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre on 14 June, showcases large, collaborative fibre artworks connecting generations through the innovation and knowledge of traditional Māori weaving. He Tukutuku Auahatanga: Maureen Lander with Community, is led by multi-media artist Dr. Maureen Lander MNZM (Ngāpuhi, Te Hikutū) and brings together more than 100 weavers, school children, environmental leaders, and makers from across Taranaki and Aotearoa New Zealand. He Tukutuku Auahatanga is 'a release of knowledge gradually through creativity' and invites audiences to explore concepts of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (relationship through shared experiences and working together), and whakapapa as expressed through raranga (weaving). Maureen is celebrated internationally for her innovative use of Māori weaving techniques to create large contemporary artworks, inextricably interwoven with the location, context and community for which her works are created. Four of the installations connect to works she has shown in the gallery over the past four decades, the earliest of which is the group exhibition Te Ao Hurihuri in 1987. One installation revisits the unique collection of kete iti (small kete) from Puke Ariki Museum that Maureen first became acquainted with in 1987. They will be feature alongside more than 100 new kete made by 32 weavers. Ngā Puna Waiora, was made by Maureen in 1993 with tamariki and staff at Te Pi'ipi'inga Kākano Mai I Rangiātea Kura Kaupapa Māori, local weavers and whānau (family) has been recreated with the new iteration drawing together student environmental leaders from several local schools in the Te Ara Taiao programme, to enhance the mauri (life force or essence) and ecology of the whenua, awa and moana. 'I am delighted that our next generations are growing the seeds that were sown 32 years ago in the Ngā Puna Waiora oTaranaki Maunga installation,' says Maureen. 'A new group of tamariki are showcasing how these ideas can be developed and translated into a visible art form that threads together their research, creativity, learning and kaitiangatanga (care) for te taiao (the environment).' Each student has expressed their aspiration for the health and well-being of their local awa by painting on 'mauri stones' that are integral parts of the installation. 'Maureen, in the role of the lead artist, has conceptualised the overall composition and vocabulary of each of the five collaborative installations on display, providing instructions to her collaborators that determine the size, technique and form of their contributions,' says exhibition curator Taarati Taiaroa (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Apa). Gallery director Dr Zara Stanhope says the exhibition recognises Maureen's role as a mentor and collaborator with makers of all generations. 'This is a deeply significant exhibition for the Govett-Brewster for both honouring the artist and the innovations that she encourages, and Maureen's ongoing collaborative relations that have drawn in new generations of makers.' Opening day activities include the youth environmental leaders talking about their work (10.30am), artist-led tours from 1pm and at 2.30pm five of the artists will be involved in the kete iti kaupapa in conversation session. Visitors are also invited to become 'star weavers' as part of the Star Waka installation, gifting their creation and choosing another's to take home in an act of reciprocity and remembrance. The exhibition opening perfectly aligns with Matariki me Puanga season, when the appearance of Puanga signals gathering, remembrance and looking to the year ahead. He Tukutuku Auahatanga: Maureen Lander with Community runs 14 June to 12 October 2025. Go to our website for more information. FAST FACTS He Tukutuku Auahatanga: Maureen Lander with Community features the work of about 70 Taranaki tamariki (9-12 years) from Devon Intermediate, Te Pi'ipi'nga Kakano Mai I Rangiātea Kura Kaupapa Māori, Welbourn School, Central School, Tikorangi School, Omata School, He Mokopuna He Tupuna, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tamarongo. Taranaki weavers whose work is featured include: Mako Jones, Audra Potaka, Tara-lee Manu, Ngahina Hohaia, Ngahina Wharehoka, Sally Hikaka, Karen Clark, Kim Kahu, Joanne Ngaia. The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery opened in 1970, funded by a bequest from local woman Monica Brewster (nee Govett). Around 85,000 people visit the gallery each year. The gallery presents a regularly changing programme of contemporary art exhibitions, events and conversations. It also runs an art and design store, independent cinema, and publishes a range of art books.
Scoop
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Multi-Media Artist Maureen Lander Unites More Than 100 Makers For New Exhibition
A major new exhibition opens at NPDC's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre on 14 June, showcases large, collaborative fibre artworks connecting generations through the innovation and knowledge of traditional Māori weaving. He Tukutuku Auahatanga: Maureen Lander with Community, is led by multi-media artist Dr. Maureen Lander MNZM (Ngāpuhi, Te Hikutū) and brings together more than 100 weavers, school children, environmental leaders, and makers from across Taranaki and Aotearoa New Zealand. He Tukutuku Auahatanga is 'a release of knowledge gradually through creativity' and invites audiences to explore concepts of kaitiakitanga (guardianship), whanaungatanga (relationship through shared experiences and working together), and whakapapa as expressed through raranga (weaving). Maureen is celebrated internationally for her innovative use of Māori weaving techniques to create large contemporary artworks, inextricably interwoven with the location, context and community for which her works are created. Four of the installations connect to works she has shown in the gallery over the past four decades, the earliest of which is the group exhibition Te Ao Hurihuri in 1987. One installation revisits the unique collection of kete iti (small kete) from Puke Ariki Museum that Maureen first became acquainted with in 1987. They will be feature alongside more than 100 new kete made by 32 weavers. Ngā Puna Waiora, was made by Maureen in 1993 with tamariki and staff at Te Pi'ipi'inga Kākano Mai I Rangiātea Kura Kaupapa Māori, local weavers and whānau (family) has been recreated with the new iteration drawing together student environmental leaders from several local schools in the Te Ara Taiao programme, to enhance the mauri (life force or essence) and ecology of the whenua, awa and moana. 'I am delighted that our next generations are growing the seeds that were sown 32 years ago in the Ngā Puna Waiora oTaranaki Maunga installation,' says Maureen. 'A new group of tamariki are showcasing how these ideas can be developed and translated into a visible art form that threads together their research, creativity, learning and kaitiangatanga (care) for te taiao (the environment).' Each student has expressed their aspiration for the health and well-being of their local awa by painting on 'mauri stones' that are integral parts of the installation. 'Maureen, in the role of the lead artist, has conceptualised the overall composition and vocabulary of each of the five collaborative installations on display, providing instructions to her collaborators that determine the size, technique and form of their contributions,' says exhibition curator Taarati Taiaroa (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Apa). Gallery director Dr Zara Stanhope says the exhibition recognises Maureen's role as a mentor and collaborator with makers of all generations. 'This is a deeply significant exhibition for the Govett-Brewster for both honouring the artist and the innovations that she encourages, and Maureen's ongoing collaborative relations that have drawn in new generations of makers.' Opening day activities include the youth environmental leaders talking about their work (10.30am), artist-led tours from 1pm and at 2.30pm five of the artists will be involved in the kete iti kaupapa in conversation session. Visitors are also invited to become 'star weavers' as part of the Star Waka installation, gifting their creation and choosing another's to take home in an act of reciprocity and remembrance. The exhibition opening perfectly aligns with Matariki me Puanga season, when the appearance of Puanga signals gathering, remembrance and looking to the year ahead. He Tukutuku Auahatanga: Maureen Lander with Community runs 14 June to 12 October 2025. Go to our website for more information. FAST FACTS He Tukutuku Auahatanga: Maureen Lander with Community features the work of about 70 Taranaki tamariki (9-12 years) from Devon Intermediate, Te Pi'ipi'nga Kakano Mai I Rangiātea Kura Kaupapa Māori, Welbourn School, Central School, Tikorangi School, Omata School, He Mokopuna He Tupuna, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tamarongo. Taranaki weavers whose work is featured include: Mako Jones, Audra Potaka, Tara-lee Manu, Ngahina Hohaia, Ngahina Wharehoka, Sally Hikaka, Karen Clark, Kim Kahu, Joanne Ngaia. The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery opened in 1970, funded by a bequest from local woman Monica Brewster (nee Govett). Around 85,000 people visit the gallery each year. The gallery presents a regularly changing programme of contemporary art exhibitions, events and conversations. It also runs an art and design store, independent cinema, and publishes a range of art books.
Scoop
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Lye Centre Explores Sound As A Medium In New Exhibition
Exploring sound as a medium is at the centre of NPDC's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre's new exhibition Direct Bodily Empathy – Sensing Sound, which opens this Saturday 17 May. The exhibition spans sonic structures, graphic scores, visual music, choreography, composition and kinetic installations, asking: can architecture be a musical score? Can the body be an instrument? Can colour be heard? Curated by Anna Briers, Direct Bodily Empathy takes a polyphonic approach, placing Len Lye alongside his 20th-Century peers such as Roy de Maistre and Oskar Fischinger, and into dialogue with contemporary artists including Mel O'Callaghan, Yona Lee, Ross Manning, Mia Salsjö, and David Sequeira. " Direct Bodily Empathy progresses our gallery's 55-year legacy of connecting people, communities and cultures through contemporary art, particularly setting a new focus on Len Lye that will indicate the resonance of his ideas alongside those of other contemporary artists," says Dr. Zara Stanhope, Director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery. "Since 1970, the Govett-Brewster has presented contemporary art in Aotearoa and the Pacific Rim while reflecting international perspectives. As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Len Lye Centre in 2025, this exhibition invites our visitors to see and feel the architecture anew in experiencing the works in Direct Bodily Empathy.' At the heart of the exhibition is A Score for the Len Lye Centre, commemorating 10 years since the construction of the Len Lye Centre. Artist-composer Mia Salsjö has transposed the architectural contours of the museum into a musical score, sonifying the iconic Ngāmotu / New Plymouth landmark. The resulting orchestration will be performed by musicians from the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra led by conductor Hamish McKeich through multiple performances on August 30, 2025, and realised as a sound installation in the gallery from September 6. Salsjö meticulously traced over architectural plans from Pattersons Architects, applying a color-coded system to transform the building's spatial relationships into musical notation. The composition incorporates recordings of Lye's kinetic sculptures, creating a connection between the building, Lye's vision, and Saljö's contemporary interpretation. Several hundred of the 1000 pages of notation she drew in the development of the work make up the 2025 Ramp Commission, supported by the Govett-Brewster Foundation. Other highlights include: Mel O'Callaghan's First sound, last sound, a performance and collective listening experience involving three-metre-tall steel tuning forks and series of diverse performers adorned in white. Ross Manning's Spectra V, a kinetic light sculpture which imbues the gallery walls in shifting washes of colour. Yona Lee's Smart sculpture, a choreography of everyday objects and smart devices including a dancing robotic vacuum cleaner, commissioned in partnership with the Melbourne Art Fair 2025. Lovers of Len Lye's tangible motion sculptures can see Wand Dance, Universe and Blade, from September and December in the second part of the exhibition's evolving performance series. Direct Bodily Empathy – Sensing Sound opens to the public on 17 May and will unfold in two epic parts through to 16 March next year. For more information, including opening day performance schedules and programming, visit FAST FACTS Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth Govett-Brewster Art Gallery opened in 1970, funded by a bequest from local woman Monica Brewster (nee Govett). Around 85,000 people visit the Gallery each year. The Len Lye Centre opened as part of the Govett-Brewster in July 2015, creating a global home for the life and work of acclaimed New Zealand-born artist Len Lye (1901-1980) The Gallery presents a regularly changing programme of contemporary art exhibitions, events and conversations. Regular education and learning programmes are offered to visitors of all ages. It also runs an art and design store, independent cinema, and art publications.
Scoop
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Talanoa Talks Of Pāsifika Futures At Art Show
Article – Craig Ashworth – Local Democracy Reporting A Talanoa an in-depth conversation will run for three days at the districts Govett-Brewster Art Gallery as part of the exhibition : . The future of Taranaki's Pāsifika communities is up for debate this weekend at New Plymouth's contemporary art museum. A Talanoa – an in-depth conversation – will run for three days at the district's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery as part of the exhibition : . Highlights include community cooking sessions and shared kai, artist presentations, workshops, youth and community-led talks and curatorial discussions on Pacific art practices. The Gallery says the Talanoa explores 'how art, cultural practice, and collective dreaming can shape a vibrant future for Pasifika people in Taranaki and beyond.' Govett Brewster director Zara Stanhope said : was showing new art created in the gallery alongside historical artworks, encouraging intergenerational storytelling. Dr Stanhope said the exhibition was guided by Pacific public programme coordinator Theresa Tongi, Pacific curator-at-large Ruha Fifita, and the Gallery's Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Advisory Group. Lalaga means to weave together, or woven, and the Talanoa was created in collaboration with Pacific artists, youth ambassadors and community leaders. 'The Talanoa sessions are a dynamic extension of our current exhibition, : , weaving together the exhibition artists and our community, aiming to deepen connections.' The Gallery's public programs and learning lead Lleah Smith said the exhibition was a 'long-term initiative designed to deepen relationships between the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa creatives.' She said it fostered 'collaboration, mutual support, and cultural exchange, making it essential for anyone… supporting and celebrating Pasifika art and culture,' Like most Govett-Brewster events entry is free apart from the community-led kai on Saturday afternoon, which is $15. : is open until 11 May
Scoop
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Talanoa Talks Of Pāsifika Futures At Art Show
The future of Taranaki's Pāsifika communities is up for debate this weekend at New Plymouth's contemporary art museum. A Talanoa – an in-depth conversation – will run for three days at the district's Govett-Brewster Art Gallery as part of the exhibition : . Highlights include community cooking sessions and shared kai, artist presentations, workshops, youth and community-led talks and curatorial discussions on Pacific art practices. The Gallery says the Talanoa explores 'how art, cultural practice, and collective dreaming can shape a vibrant future for Pasifika people in Taranaki and beyond.' Govett Brewster director Zara Stanhope said : was showing new art created in the gallery alongside historical artworks, encouraging intergenerational storytelling. Dr Stanhope said the exhibition was guided by Pacific public programme coordinator Theresa Tongi, Pacific curator-at-large Ruha Fifita, and the Gallery's Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Advisory Group. Lalaga means to weave together, or woven, and the Talanoa was created in collaboration with Pacific artists, youth ambassadors and community leaders. 'The Talanoa sessions are a dynamic extension of our current exhibition, : , weaving together the exhibition artists and our community, aiming to deepen connections.' The Gallery's public programs and learning lead Lleah Smith said the exhibition was a 'long-term initiative designed to deepen relationships between the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa creatives.' She said it fostered 'collaboration, mutual support, and cultural exchange, making it essential for anyone… supporting and celebrating Pasifika art and culture," Like most Govett-Brewster events entry is free apart from the community-led kai on Saturday afternoon, which is $15. : is open until 11 May
