Council’s first galleria exhibition opens
Te Arawa artist Jane Johnson-Matua discusses clay works on display as part of the Whakapapa exhibition in the Civic Centre galleria with Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick.
9 December 2014
The first public art exhibition to be held in the revamped galleria at the Rotorua Lakes Council's Civic Centre is now open to the public.
Titled Whakapapa, the show features contemporary works by 5 artists who whakapapa to the Te Arawa waka and covers the spectrum of art genres - from paintings and digital art to works in clay and fibre.
This is a local place - our place - and we wanted it to be a place that tells our stories, Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick said of the revamped galleria at an afternoon tea held today (Monday, 8 December) for the artists and their whanau.
Your [works] are the first on this journey to telling our stories to the wider community.
The mayor said the new art space also reflected Council's Creative Communities portfolio, recognising the contribution of art and culture.
She described the works on show as both challenging and beautiful and highlighted that the stories told through art were not always easy stories.
Through this we are trying to tell the stories only arts and culture can tell reflecting your creative lens on the development of the journey of our township, district and council, Mrs Chadwick said.
Genealogy was the entrance point for the inaugural show but other artists will have the opportunity to exhibit in the galleria in future.
It is envisaged there will be three exhibitions a year in the galleria where the walls have been painted white and furniture removed to give prominence to the artworks on display.
Artists exhibiting in the Whakapapa show are Kereama Taepa (screen prints); Christina Hurihia Wirihana (weaving); Jane Johnson-Matua (ceramic works); Tawhanga Mary-Legs Nopera (digital storytelling); Michael Staite (paintings - including a series of work objecting to the proposed eastern arterial route).
Most of the exhibition will be on show until April next year when another will take its place. Works by Wirihana and Taepa will be taken down just before Christmas and replaced by other artwork.
Future shows will be developed according to parameters set by a creative steering group made up of nine members of the community, including artists. The group will set themes and call for submissions of interest from artists.
Members of the public will be able to view the Whakapapa exhibition during council opening hours of 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Some of the artwork will be for sale and people can pick up a price list from the executive reception area and pay at the customer services desk downstairs.
Rotorua artists interested in exhibiting in the Council galleria in future are encouraged to add their name to Council's Creative Communities database which they can do via the creative email sign-up on the council's Facebook page. They will receive news and calls for submissions for future galleria exhibitions.
Members of the public who are interested in art and the arts can also sign up to this database.