Fauna, Flora and a Myriad of Colours

Published on 31 October 2023

FOUR NEW EXHIBITIONS AT THE FORRESTER GALLERY

Contact: Rosalie Elliffe, Curator – Visual Arts, relliffe@waitaki.govt.nz

The Forrester Gallery is delighted to present four new exhibitions.

Traversing the realms of the real and the fantastical, Marie Strauss’s exhibition Between Existence and Enchantment is a multi-media experience of farm life. Born in South Africa, Marie moved to Aotearoa in the 1990s and now lives and works on the Taieri Plain, Dunedin. Her exhibition – set in the Forrester Gallery’s two main downstairs galleries – documents and depicts the reality of prey animals, drawing a connection with the fate of the mystical unicorn whose rarity made it the ultimate prize.

Between Existence and Enchantment showcases Marie’s ability to tell stories using paint, clay and etchings. Marie says of her multi-media practice, “Drawing is at the heart of etching and painting, which I have always done, and I love working with clay, I find it very meditative.”

By juxtaposing the tangible with the intangible, the fleeting with the perpetual, Marie invites viewers to contemplate, connect and embrace the intricacies of farm life – and life in general.

Through the mediums of graphite and oil pastels, local artist John Mitchell examines the situation of the natural world in his upstairs exhibition Gravel Road. With an intent to provoke thoughts and question assumptions, John says of his art practice: “For me the act of drawing requires courage and a willingness to take risks, to challenge perceptions of the human condition.”

Suzanne Hood-Everett's Colours of Freedom is a vibrant exhibition to celebrate the start of summer. Situated in our upstairs Community Gallery, Suzanne’s series of oil paintings explore the themes of acceptance, endurance, loyalty and love.

In the intimate Vault Gallery, Cari Quinn’s showcase In the Doghouse commemorates the bond between human and dog, celebrating the playful nature of our canine friends through a series of ceramic hounds.

All four exhibitions open on the 4th November 2023, with an opening at the Forrester Gallery on the 3rd November 5:30pm for the artists and their supporters.

Free entry.

ENDS