This is the new name for The Affordable Art Exhibition: maybe they rebranded it because it sounded cheap and nasty. Here's the thing: art and The Arts should be accessible to the general public and not to an elite group of educated cognoscenti. The concept of an affordable art show has been successful all over the world.
It is a forum where new and emerging artists can sell their work almost directly to the public. That way the artists profit by making some much-needed sales and the general public profits by being able to purchase cheap works that brighten up their homes and lives and possibly start them on a path to collecting and appreciating art.
Having said that, there was a lot of derivative and sub-standard work. There were also some fabulous swirly expressionist skyscapes, some interesting limited edition photographic works and an amazing collection of installations in which objects were suspended in perspex or resin. Unfortunately there were a few too many cabbage-palms, tuis and pohutakawas for my liking. New Zealand is very big on photorealist landscape painting, which is not my cup of tea, but seems to appeal to a lot of kiwis with their love for our gorgeous landscape.
There were a couple of Bill Hammond wannabes, with bird creatures dotted about dripping muted gold backgrounds. These works were attractive in themselves, if it was not so obvious that they were highly derivative. Shame about that.
I went with a friend who wants to do some home decorating and wanted to buy a couple of pieces, but sadly nothing appealed enough. The concept is good, but a shame that the quality of the work was poor overall, with a few gems nevertheless.
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ReplyDeleteI'm rewriting my comment as there was a typo in my other one. I agree with your sentiments. I've seen many a badly painted tui and cabbage tree in similar exhibitions of new artists. Sometimes a gem can be found from an emerging artist. I agree the title sways one's impression of the show even before viewing it.
ReplyDeleteDepends what you want art for? To match the curtains and the couch so that it eventually blends with the wallpaper and you never see it... or to change the way you see the world.
ReplyDeleteGood art never stops rewarding you. Every day when you look at it, it should give you pleasure or make you shudder or make you think. It never becomes the wallpaper because it make you think.
There is a lot of talk about the inaccessibility of contemporary art, and how difficult it is- intellectually intimidating I have heard it described - but if you are prepared to put in the effort the way you do with a Proust or a Gertrude Stein or a Kathy Acker then it is incredibly rewarding. I don't see much of that kind of art at the New Zealand Art Show... but then I never go.