Modern Paints Aotearoa

Modern Paints Aotearoa

Exhibition Details

Discover how the introduction of new paints affected the work of New Zealand artists in this exhibition focused on paint media itself.

Not only was there a greater choice of paints from the late 1950s to early 60s, but experimentation was more widely accepted, freeing artists to move away from traditional oil on canvas. Enamels and water-based paints opened up new possibilities, resulting in innovative work with a variety of striking effects.

Colin McCahon's Northland panels (1958) from the collection of Te Papa, will be shown at the Gallery for the first time in 25 years and is an exhibition highlight. McCahon was at the forefront of experimental use of paint in New Zealand during that time - adding material such as sawdust and sand to his paint mix. Touch and feel the paint mockups and see historic art materials, alongside artwork made by artists who embraced the new media. The Northland panels was painted on the deck of McCahon's house in Titirangi (p. 54 of Colin McCahon: The Titirangi Years by Peter Simpson). The house is now a Museum and is open to visitors. For more information go to www.mccahonhouse.org.nz

The exhibition also includes works by Gretchen Albrecht, Rudolf Gopas, Ralph Hotere, Para Matchett, Gordon Walters and others.

Modern Paints Aotearoa is accompanied by a full-colour catalogue produced with the generous support of Resene.

Watch a video on the Conservation of Modern Paints with Tom Learner, Head of Science at the Getty Conservation Institute (GCI) in Los Angeles. Tom worked in close collaboration with Auckland Art Gallery's Principal Conservator Sarah Hillary on this exhibition.

Date
Curated by
Catherine Hammond, Caroline McBride and Sarah Hillary
Location
Ground level
Cost
Free entry

Related Artworks

View Artwork

Not on display

Black painting: Blue/Orange/Indigo
Black painting: Blue/Orange/Indigo

Ralph Hotere

Production date
1969
Medium
brolite lacquer on board
Size (h x w)
1219 x 609 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1970
Accession no
1970/2/3
View Artwork

Not on display

Black painting: Green/Red/Indigo
Black painting: Green/Red/Indigo

Ralph Hotere

Production date
1969
Medium
brolite lacquer on board
Size (h x w)
1219 x 609 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1970
Accession no
1970/2/4
View Artwork

Not on display

Black painting: Orange/Blue/Indigo
Black painting: Orange/Blue/Indigo

Ralph Hotere

Production date
1969
Medium
brolite lacquer on board
Size (h x w)
1219 x 609 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1970
Accession no
1970/2/1
View Artwork

Not on display

Black painting: Purple/Yellow/Indigo
Black painting: Purple/Yellow/Indigo

Ralph Hotere

Production date
1969
Medium
brolite lacquer on board
Size (h x w)
1219 x 609 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1970
Accession no
1970/2/2
View Artwork

Not on display

Black painting: Red/Green/Indigo
Black painting: Red/Green/Indigo

Ralph Hotere

Production date
1969
Medium
brolite lacquer on board
Size (h x w)
1219 x 609 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1970
Accession no
1970/2/6
View Artwork

Not on display

Black painting: Yellow/Violet/Indigo
Black painting: Yellow/Violet/Indigo

Ralph Hotere

Production date
1969
Medium
brolite lacquer on board
Size (h x w)
1219 x 609 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1970
Accession no
1970/2/5
View Artwork

Not on display

Outside the inside-out
Outside the inside-out

Harry Wong

Production date
1968
Medium
acrylic on canvas
Size (h x w)
1613 x 1600 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, gift of Benson & Hedges Ltd, 1970
Accession no
1970/7
View Artwork

Not on display

Painting No. 1
Painting No. 1

Gordon Walters

Production date
1965
Medium
PVA on hardboard
Size (h x w)
930 x 1233 x 32 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1966
Accession no
1966/4
View Artwork

Not on display

Nebula
Nebula

Rudolph Gopas

Production date
1969
Medium
PVA on canvas on board
Size (h x w)
933 x 1066 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1973
Accession no
1973/8
View Artwork

Not on display

Mountain III
Mountain III

Buster Black

Production date
1963
Medium
oil on board
Size (h x w)
556 x 735 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1997
Accession no
1997/10/6
View Artwork

Not on display

Stalagmites - Stalactites
Stalagmites - Stalactites

Theo Schoon

Production date
1964
Medium
oil on board
Size (h x w)
1278 x 1186 x 55 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1989
Accession no
1989/32
View Artwork

Not on display

Elias triptych
Elias triptych

Colin McCahon

Production date
1959
Medium
oil ("Solpah"), sand on three hardboard panels
Size (h x w)
1219 x 838 mm
Credit line
Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 1982
Accession no
1982/14/4.1-3