Landmark NZ art exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery

26 September, 2013

Landmark New Zealand contemporary art exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery this summer

On 26 October Auckland Art Gallery opens its largest overview of contemporary New Zealand art in 25 years – Freedom Farmers: New Zealand Artists Growing Ideas.

Freedom Farmers offers a dynamic sample of 20 New Zealand contemporary artists from emerging to established practitioners, providing an opportunity for audiences to experience a new body of specially commissioned artwork displayed for the first time. This ground-breaking exhibition traces ways New Zealand artists are using ideas of utopia, sustainability and artistic freedom in their work to encourage discussions about creativity.

Walters Prize winners Francis Upritchard, Dan Arps, and et al., along with Richard Maloy, Martin Basher and Edith Amituanai are just a few of the artists in this free exhibition, which predominantly canvases a new generation of artists born in the 1970s.

Auckland Art Gallery Curator Contemporary Art, Natasha Conland says, ‘The exciting thing about the subject for this exhibition is that it positions artists as innovators and leaders in New Zealand, a culture that values invention, forward thinking and liberty.’

‘Equally, the exhibition experience is incredibly rich, with a range of artistic media that people haven’t seen in recent contemporary art exhibitions – we’re seeing highly creative material solutions to the ideas these artists are tackling.’

Visitors will experience a surprisingly diverse mix of new art practices, including ceramics, painting, film, installation and photography. A wide-ranging programme of free events for the summer complements the exhibition. Inspirational speakers from a variety of fields such as neuroscience and eco-business add to the programme featuring New Zealand’s foremost public thinkers on creativity today, including ‘off-the-grid’ trailblazer Beansprout. Get involved at the ‘Ideas Market’ for tips on sustainable living, or one of a number of family drop-ins designed by exhibiting artists.

Auckland Art Gallery Director, Rhana Devenport says, ‘Freedom Farmers offers a fresh take on New Zealand creative practice today.'

‘It is a timely opportunity for the Gallery to cement its important role in showcasing the best of New Zealand art to our audiences.’

Artists showing in Freedom Farmers: New Zealand Artists Growing Ideas:

• Edith Amituanai
• Dan Arps
• Wayne Barrar
• Martin Basher
• Mladen Bizumic
• Dorota Broda
• Steve Carr
• Xin Cheng
• Stella Corkery
• et al.
• Tessa Laird
• Allan McDonald
• Richard Maloy
• Louise Menzies
• Shannon Novak
• Ava Seymour
• Shannon Te Ao and Iain Frengley
• Isobel Thom
• Francis Upritchard

Freedom Farmers: New Zealand Artists Growing Ideas from 26 October to 23 February 2014. Entry is free. For more information visit www.aucklandartgallery.com

ENDS

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