One of Dunedin 3 artist Fleur Yorston's pieces Tui Walters
II, 2008, which will be exhibited from tomorrow at Toi o
Tahuna fine art gallery. Photo supplied.
Toi o Tahuna fine art gallery in Queenstownwill be
showcasing new works by the "Dunedin 3", Sam Foley, Fleur
Yorston and David Teata, in an exhibition which opens today.
The exhibition focuses on the three well-known emerging
artists, who all studied at the Otago Polytechnic School of
Fine Arts, and work with different techniques to explore
numerous facets of New Zealand culture and human nature.
Foley, born in Wellington, moved to Dunedin at age 4 and
graduated from the Otago Polytechnic in 1998.
Since then he has exhibited in Auckland, Queenstown, Sydney
and Dunedin and was recently selected as a finalist in the
annual James Wallace Art Awards.
His work depicts recognisable studies of urban landscapes -
each scene is conspicuously empty of people.
For Dunedin 3 his influence came from a winter trip to
Queenstown.
"I wanted to create work shifting slightly away from subject
matter I had been producing, but to keep it true to my
technical method.
"It was important that it be specific to the region.
"I feel like I have spent enough time in and around
Queenstown to be able to produce works that are significant
for me."
Auckland-born Yorston completed a Diploma in Fine Arts at
Otago Polytechnic in 1993, before gaining a master's in fine
arts at RMIT University in Australia in 2001.
After travelling and working overseas, including the United
Kingdom, Ireland and Thailand, she returned to Dunedin to
raise her family.
Yorston incorporates elements of the alchemical into her work
with a basis of jewellery and body adornment.
There is an obvious Kiwiana reference and her work has subtle
influence from Asian art and culture.
Teata completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at theOtago
School of Art in 2006 and is now completing his Master of
Fine Arts degree.
Born in the Cook Islands, he was brought up in New Zealand,
and his work continues to investigate the idea identity is
shaped in part by genealogical inheritance - an idea common
in Polynesia.
Teata describes his work as "embossed woodblock prints".
Through layering and embossing he creates a textured print,
exploring the use of layering of motifs and patterns to
express the complexity of identity within our diverse
multicultural society.
Dunedin 3's exhibition will run until December 20, with a
preview today from 5.30pm to 7.30pm.
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