Auckland - The Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery in Parnell is launching its autumn season, which features a line-up of locally and internationally renowned artists. The season will include a series of unique exhibitions at Saatchi & Saatchi's "not your ordinary gallery", which opened in 2012 as a creative hub to inspire staff and the public with interesting art and events.
Cartographies of Ruin - Struan Hamilton
On the 11th of April the gallery opened Cartographies of Ruin by Struan Hamilton. Scottish-born Struan Hamilton works predominantly in viscosity etching, and draws inspiration from the organic within the manmade environment of the modern city. This duality of existence in shapes and forms creates a dynamic dialogue within his work, generating a multitude of visual experiences for the viewer.
Struan Hamilton says: "I've been working towards a more obviously architectural feel to the work for this exhibition, which is something I've always been concentrated around but is coming more and more to the fore of the image. I've found that since coming to New Zealand to work at Elam, the country's top art school, I've been constantly engaged and encouraged by the creativity of both the students and academic staff, and the possibilities to push work forward with the other technicians here has been amazing.
"I am thrilled to bits that my first solo show here in New Zealand is being held in the amazing space that is the Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery, I think the space and the work go extremely well together. I'm deeply grateful towards Antonio Navas from Saatchi & Saatchi for giving me this opportunity."
Smoke & Mirrors - Karen Inderbitzen-Waller and Delphine Avril Planqueel
From the 16th of May the Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery will exhibit a series of works by Karen Inderbitzen-Waller in collaboration with Delphine Avril Planqueel, as well as officially launching their new photographic book, Smoke & Mirrors. Karen is a renowned fashion stylist and photographer with a portfolio of work spanning the globe. This exhibition will showcase their artistic photographic work, and will examine the distinctive aesthetic that has made them so immensely popular in the international fashion world.
Karen Inderbitzen-Waller says: "Our work is an exploration of nostalgia and difficult beauty. We wanted to cut a path between the real and the imagined, interior and exterior, the light and the dark, the new and the faded."
Becoming Otherwise - Karley Feaver
Rounding out the season from the 4th of July will be Becoming Otherwise by Karley Feaver. Feaver is known for her intricate taxidermies and animal depictions filled with off familiarities and strangeness. Her new exhibition will explore the idea of people and birds both using materials from their nearby environment to adorn themselves to attract a mate.
Karley Feaver says: "Becoming Otherwise is about transformation and adaptation and nature's ability to survive in different forms by adapting, adjusting and mutating into an increasingly man-made environment.
"Ornithology has been a driving focus in my new work and during my research I have been incredibly inspired by the Birds of Paradise, in particular the male birds amazing displays. I am exploring how they interact, their mating rituals, their habitats and their intricate plumage. Not surprisingly, these traits are very similar to how humans act and interact with each other, however with us, it is both the females and males that share these traits. My new works are investigating how each animal can adapt to their surroundings by morphing animals and other various materials into newly formed creations."
The Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery is the brainchild of Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand Executive Creative Director Antonio Navas. The gallery is reflective of the creative initiatives that Navas has been distilling through the agency since his appointment in May 2011.
What: Saatchi & Saatchi Gallery
Where: Level 3, Saatchi & Saatchi Building. 123 The Strand, Parnell
Open: 10:00am - 5:00pm, Monday - Friday (weekend appointments available on request)
Cost: Free