The exhibition called 'Drift' at the Hocken Collections
Learning outside the classroom this week, Friday 16th Jul 2021, we went to visit the Exhibition ‘Drift’ at The Hocken Library. It exhibits from Saturday 29 May to Saturday 17 July 2021. It was curated by Robyn Notman, head curator of Hocken pictures.
‘Drift’ is an exhibition focussing on art recently acquired by the Hocken combined with a selection
of items sourced from Hocken collection areas.
To present a valuable and multiple extents of paintings, prints, drawings, sketches, designs and other
media, Purposing of this exhibition to share Hocken's collections with visitors and researchers and
open up ways of thinking about the connections between a wide range of works and objects.
Styled and installed to bring out the richness of the works "aesthetic content, emphasizing colour, pattern, scale, patina, form, content and personality," 'Drift' aims to stimulate lines of enquiry for continuing speculation and research for viewers, rather than demonstrating a single curatorial thesis.
One of the pictures that I like the most was Portrait of Atay Chief of Otargo New Zealand, 1835. It was painted by Charles Rodius. He was a German-born artist, printmaker and architect who lived and worked in France, English and Australia.
The reason that l like this drawing art is connected with Maori couture. The couture of people who first came to New Zealand. There was a long-term story and interesting civilization.
The portrait of that chief certainly has a vividness and intensity about it, doesn't it? I get a sense of the youthful vigour of this chief and the artistry of his 'moko' is striking. What reflections about Maori culture does this drawing lead you to?
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