Rotorua Museum celebrates art of James Turkington
9 July 2013
Surface Treatments: The Art of James Turkington, opening at Rotorua Museum tomorrow (10 July), marks the first major exhibition of artworks by James Turkington (1895-1979) since the early 1970s.
The exhibition showcases rarely seen material from the Museum's collection, and is a celebration of one of the country's most prolific mural artists and unsung champion of New Zealand modernism.
Surface Treatments tracks some of the key moments in Turkington's career, from his humble start as a budding artist on World War One battlefields, to his rapid rise as the go to' muralist throughout the 1950s and 60s.
A highlight of the exhibition is the 8m long Formica mural he created for the opening of the Rotorua Airport Terminal in 1965. The mural features a range of Rotorua subjects, including the famous love story of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai.
Alongside this impressive work will be original drawings and designs for other mural projects, and a number of oil paintings on loan from the Turkington family, which have not been on public display since the artist passed away.
Turkington was a keen innovator who experimented with a range of materials and techniques, as seen in the now refurbished glass chip mural on the Parnell Baths in Auckland, and etched glass murals in many public and private buildings. Late in his career Turkington went to work at Formica, who this year celebrate their 100th anniversary.
He teamed up with Formica to pioneer a new process that aimed to increase the lifespan of murals and make them more portable. Even with this emphasis on preservation, very few of his hundreds of commissions remain today.
While highlighting key elements of Turkington's extensive career, this exhibition also introduces the person behind the art.
Surface Treatments: The Art of James Turkington is on at Rotorua Museum from Wednesday 10 July until Sunday 13 October. Entry is included with Museum admission which is free for Rotorua residents with ID.