• Yaimel Lopez
  • 'Bits of Me', 'Selfies' exhibition work
  • Radio poster from 'Radio and Design 1920-1950' exhibition
  • Gayle Forster, Rupture, 2017
  • Work by Yaimel Lopez

Selfies, rising stars and radio

August at Northart

All the best laid plans…the exhibition by Cuban print maker, Osmeivy Ortega, didn’t happen as planned. In the last month’s Channel we promised it for July, but it will now open to the public on Monday 7 August, and Ortega will be joined by fellow countryman and poster artist/caricaturist, Yaimel Lopez.

Described as two of Cuba’s foremost emerging visual artists, the exhibition of wood cut prints (Ortega) and digitally reproduced posters (Lopez), explores ideas of social and political injustice. Osmeivy Ortega will be present at the opening function of ‘Two rising stars from Cuba’, his visit and the exhibition being supported by Otahuhu College. 

Opening the same evening is 'Selfies'. We invited the local community to take a “selfie” and email it to us and, thanks to a grant by the Kaipatiki Local Board, we are able to print them all and put them on exhibition in the gallery.  Alongside ‘Selfies’  there will be an exhibition of self-portraits painted by Northart artists. All these shows will continue until 23 August. 

Late August brings about another changeover of exhibitions and a slight change of tack. Nostalgia takes over as we celebrate the golden age of radio with "Radio and Design 1920-1950"  curated by radio enthusiast, James Davidson. To add to the atmosphere, the exhibition will include some art deco posters from the era. Other exhibitions opening on August 28 include solo shows by Birkenhead painter and ceramicist, Heather Grouden and previously Christchurch-based painter Gayle Forster, both of whom are graduates of Ilam School of Fine Arts in Christchurch. The line up is complete with a group exhibition of work by Bob Drake, Ray Wilkinson and Bilgana Snjegota, among others. 

August continues our very popular Gallery Time for Kids (11am Saturday and Sundays on the first weekend of the month) and Gallery Time for Little Kids (11am, first and third Wednesday of the month). Both programmes are free of charge (donations accepted) thanks to a grant from Creative Communities, Auckland. 

Later in the year we are holding an exhibition, BookWorks, of handmade books by members of ABC (Association of Book Crafts). We are organising a book making workshop over the weekend of 21/22 October. Tutored by well-known fibre artist, Ailie Snow, bookings are essential. Please contact the gallery for further information.

The operation of Northart is assisted by a very loyal and generous volunteer team who act as receptionists in the galleries. Without their help we would not be able to remain open to the public six hours per day, seven days per week. At this time of the year, however, as winter takes its toll and people head overseas for well-earned holidays in the sun, we do have difficulty filling the roster. If you would like to help out, or learn more about becoming a Northart volunteer, please email Wendy on manager@northart.co.nz or phone 09 480 9633.

 

 

 

 

 


Issue 79 August 2017