Tomorrow, two new paintings by New Zealand Army artist Captain Matt Gauldie will be unveiled at the Dunedin Art Gallery. Debbie Porteous speaks to Gauldie about how it is to capture the New Zealand Army in oil.
As the soldier at the wheel watches with an eagle eye, alert for hostile fire, the soldier in the foreground grips his knee in fear, knuckles white.
The setting is a patrol in Kabul 2006, the scene is a painting by New Zealand Army artist Captain Matt Gauldie, and the white-knuckled hand belongs to the artist himself.
"I think it's an example of how you feel when you're rattling about Kabul, it's a very hostile environment and you feel very vulnerable and exposed.
"I thought that was an experience a lot of soldiers will have gone through."
For Gauldie, being the New Zealand Army artist does not mean walking around with a sketch pad, ducking for cover behind soldiers.
That is because Gauldie is himself a soldier.
He signed up for the territorial forces after he got the job.
He says it is only now, four years after he began his training that he feels he is beginning to understand the subculture that is the New Zealand Army.
"It makes all the difference in the world [to his work], you wouldn't be able to relate and at least I know what I am painting about."
The army must have been reasonably satisfied with his work as it last year extended his three-year contract for another three.
Gauldie's job is to observe and convey contemporary army life and the varied roles of the modern-day soldier.
His subjects include everything from soldiers deployed overseas to official portraits.
His contract is to produce 15 paintings a year, working about half-time for the army and half-time for himself.
To date he has produced several series of work for the army.
The series include works from previous Afghan and Solomon Islands deployments, series called "Recruit", "Day in the life of a soldier" and "Unknown Warrior".
He is presently working on a new series which will mainly contain work from an upcoming deployment to East Timor.
Usually he takes photos on deployment and paints major pieces on his return to New Zealand.
He intends to do the same this time, but also plans to do a substantial watercolour or ink wash every day while on deployment and present it as a visual diary; "a condensed version of deployment", as part of the exhibition of the series in October in Christchurch.
Gauldie says he was attracted to the work not only for the travel, but the opportunity, as an artist, to be immersed in a different culture, especially one that to many New Zealanders can seem very private.
His aim now is to portray soldiers not as faceless, emotionless automatons, but provide a sense of the individuals who are serving New Zealand.
He also hopes his work will help educate people about the New Zealand Army.
"The more you are involved and do deployments etc, you actually start to see and realise the fundamental differences and values and ethos from other armies.
"If I can, I want to make sure people know all armies should not be lumped together."
The New Zealand Army has a long history of army artists, beginning in World War 1.
Lance Corporal Nugent Herman received the first official appointment in April 1918.
Since then eight others have been employed as the army artist including such well-known figures as Peter McIntyre, Russell Clark, Ion Brown and Graham Braddock.
Born in 1976, in Lower Hutt, Gauldie has painted his whole life.
He says being an artist is who he is rather than something he does.
He grew up in a creative environment - both his parents were artists.
Upon completing his schooling in Hawaii he returned to New Zealand in 1995 where after time at Elam School of Art and Design, in Auckland, he began working as a full-time artist.
Initially Gauldie specialised in portraiture before branching into street scenes, nudes and contemporary landscape.
He exhibited though out New Zealand until the commissioning of the "Unknown Warrior" series in late 2004.
That was his introduction to the New Zealand Army.
• See him
Captain Gauldie will be present at the unveiling of two pieces he has done commemorating Otago military service, at the Otago Daily Times Gallery at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery at 7pm tomorrow.
He will also give a talk at the Otago Polytechnic School of Art tomorrow at 12.15pm.
See Saturday's ODT for a report on the unveiling.
