Overview
Ocean III is the largest of six photographs in a series
depicting major oceans of the world, and one of two featuring the
islands of New Zealand. The inspiration for the series was Gursky's
observation of the flight path programme while travelling from the
Middle East to Australia.
'Auckland Art Gallery is to be congratulated for acquiring this
remarkable work of art,' says Regional Facilities Auckland Chairman
Sir Don McKinnon. 'It demonstrates the Gallery's continued
dedication and commitment to bringing international art of an
exceptional calibre not only to Auckland, but to the rest of New
Zealand.'
'We are tremendously excited to be able to represent the work of
such an important international artist, even more so given the
particular nature of its subject, which in one way serves to
represent our place in the Pacific like no other work in a New
Zealand public collection', says Gallery Director Chris Saines.
'Gursky is a giant in the contemporary art world, with an
impressive global reputation, and we are thrilled to have secured
this work.'
'The subject of Ocean III deals with a core strand of
interest to New Zealand and Pacific audiences and artists - that
great expanse of ocean that defines our position in the world. It
features the islands of New Zealand at the edge of a seeming blue
abyss. It is a remarkable reminder of our Oceanic and Pacific
location, and a fascinating realisation of how great that limitless
ocean around us really is'.
The German artist, known for his immense and striking images of
contemporary life, delivers with Ocean III a view of the
Pacific Ocean that exceeds 4.5 metres in length and is 2.5 metres
high.
Gursky worked with high-definition satellite photographs that
normally focus on the earth's landmasses. Due to the absence of
adequate mapping of the world's oceans, he recreated ocean zones
himself after consulting shoal maps.
'This single work by Andreas Gursky has the capacity to
re-orientate the viewers' relationship to our geographic borders',
says contemporary art Curator Natasha Conland. 'It is both stunning
and disorientating in its effect, and provides a new cornerstone
for the Gallery's international contemporary collection.'
The acquisition of Ocean III was made possible with the
combined support and generosity of the Graeme Maunsell Trust, M A
Serra Bequest, Lyndsay Garland and Dingley Trusts.
Ocean III (2010) will hang in the Gallery's
international contemporary exhibition on level one. The
acquisition was made with the participation of the artist and his
representative, Gagosian Gallery, New York, with the cooperation of
Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland.
Image credit: Andreas Gursky, Ocean III, 2010
chromogenic print, © Andreas Gursky, VG BILD-KUNST, Bonn
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased with funds from the
Graeme Maunsell Trust, M A Serra Bequest, Lyndsay Garland Trust and
Dingley Trust, 2012