Wellington Offers Temporary Gallery for Artists

24 November 2004

Mezzo-space: Wellington Offers Temporary Gallery for Artists to Exhibit New Work

Wellington City Council's Community Arts Office is pleased to announce an innovative, creative service for local artists wanting to show their work. The former BAM Bookstore space, managed by the Council’s property office and currently un-tenanted, is now being programmed as a temporary exhibition space for Wellington-based artists. The room, located on the main library mezzanine level, already has several exhibitions planned for the end of 2004, and more may be on the way in the new year. Council is still reviewing the long term use for this site, and until a decision is made the space is available for Community Arts programming.

“While the space is vacant and empty, we can be programme it with exhibitions of new work by local artists and groups,” said Community Arts Co-ordinator Eric Holowacz. “We’ve named this short-term public gallery effort the ‘Mezzo-space’, because it is in the middle of town, the middle of the library, and in between official tenants.”

Holowacz’s office has established a proposal process and a few ground rules, with a heavy emphasis on providing exposure for Wellington’s creative people. Participating artists will be responsible for preparing and installing the exhibitions, sitting in the gallery during open hours, and talking casually with the public about their work. None of the exhibited work will be for sale on-site. People interested in buying art will be referred to the artist’s studio to learn more about available works and commissioned pieces.

The first exhibition, by painters Giles Whitaker and Anne Hutton is on view from November 17 to 30, and is entitled “The Passionate Palette – Landscapes of the Body and Mind.” Following that, from December 2 to 10, will be an exhibition of 20 new paintings by Andrei Overweel.

“My work comprises images of people in their environment,” said Overweel, “but largely deals with their relationships to one another. It also deals with human emotions and the symbolic use of colour, and the result often presents questions rather than answers.”

Besides middle, half or medium, the Italian word “mezzo” can also be used to denote a means of doing something, or the method involved in making something happen.

“We hope the Mezzo-space, for as long as we can use it, will help show off Wellington’s practicing and emerging artists, and make something happen for them,” said Holowacz.

Local artists, collectives, or visual arts groups interested in learning more about the temporary Mezzo-space should contact Eric Holowacz in the Community Arts office on 385-1929 or arts@wcc.govt.nz

ENDS

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