Countdown to Elam Graduate Show

Countdown to Elam Graduate Show

Artist Elizabeth Kirkpatrick has been working long hours in her studio at Elam School of Fine Arts, as the countdown to her end of year submission draws near.

The twenty one year-old University of Auckland student is in the final month of her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) degree, adding finishing touches before all her hard work goes on display to the public as part of the 2014 Elam Graduate Show.

As well as preparing for the popular annual exhibition, Elizabeth has also designed this year’s Elam Graduate Show poster. An illustrator who works mainly in drawing and printmaking, she created a graphic for the poster featuring an ecosystem of interesting and unique plants and animals, as a visual metaphor for the Elam student community.

Elizabeth, whose art is heavily influenced by video games, film, animation, mass media and popular culture, often makes works that depict things found in nature, that are dangerous to man.

“I’m interested in presenting ‘dangerous’ images as subdued and beautiful. I render potentially deadly living things in such a way as to make them appear non-threatening,” she says. Her presentation for the Elam Graduate Show continues this theme, using photographic screen prints and drawings of the human body.

As well as Elizabeth’s presentation, this year’s Elam Graduate Show will feature a huge variety of artwork by over 120 final-year BFA, BFA(Hons), PGDipFA and MFA students including painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, installation, sound work, moving image, design and multimedia.

Elam School of Fine Arts has an enviable reputation for producing New Zealand’s foremost artists. Rising international art star and Elam graduate Simon Denny is just one example, having been selected to represent New Zealand at the 56th Venice Biennale in 2015 with his installation Secret Power.

“We are enormously proud of our graduates, who traditionally achieve at the highest levels in contemporary art both here and internationally. Their success demonstrates both their talent and the exceptional quality of the teaching at our school. We are confident many of this year’s graduates will go on to enjoy stellar careers,” says Head of School, Associate Professor Derrick Cherrie.

The two-day event, which attracts thousands of art lovers, curators, dealers and collectors is free and open to everyone.

The 2014 Elam Graduate Show,
10am-4pm,
Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November,
Elam School of Fine Arts: 20 Whitaker Place, 5 Symonds Street (Elam B) and 25a Princes Street (George Fraser Gallery), the University of Auckland.
For more information visit www.creative.auckland.ac.nz

The University of Auckland’s National Institute of Creative Arts and Industries comprises the Elam School of Fine Arts, School of Architecture and Planning, the Centre for Art Studies, the School of Music and the Dance Studies Programme.

ENDS

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