Lingering Imagery: An exhibition of Jeffrey Harris

30 March, 2016

Lingering Imagery: An exhibition of Jeffrey Harris from the Bosshard Browne Collection.

A private collection of works by one of New Zealand’s most powerful painters accompanied by drawings from the artists own personal collection are coming to the Ashburton Art Gallery. Jeffrey Harris: Selected Works from the Bosshard Browne Collection opens on Saturday 3 April and runs until 13 May 2016.

Jeffrey Harris began working professionally in 1970 and is primarily a self-taught artist which has allowed him to develop a distinctly unique style. The works included in this exhibition are drawn mostly from the artist’s first twelve years as a full time professional (1970 to 1982) collected by his friend, collector and former dealer Patricia Bosshard Browne. This outstanding collection of paintings, etchings and mixed media works is now on long term loan at the Eastern Southland Gallery in Gore. These works are complemented by drawings and ink wash works on paper from the artist’s own collection which bring the viewer closer to the artist’s more recent work. The earlier works in the exhibition explore themes that the artist has chosen to re-visit throughout his career. Largely figurative works, they frequently reference religious symbolism, family groups, and situations based to a large extent on the artist’s own life.

Harris is a Dunedin based painter who has exhibited nationally and internationally for over 40 year, and is represented in every major public, private and corporate collection in the country. Harris’s first exhibition was at Otago Museum in 1969. It was organised for him by artists Ralph Hotere and Michael Smither and since then he has shown in every major art gallery and museum in New Zealand and now for the first time at your local art gallery.

Gallery curator Shirin Khosraviani says “I am thrilled that we can build working relationships with other institutions like the Eastern Southland Gallery and collectors such as Patricia Bosshard Browne which enables us to bring the work of a significant New Zealand painter to an Ashburton audience”.

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