Three reasons to visit The Suter Art Gallery this autumn
/Prize-winning landscapes, enigmatic installations, and works by a master photographer form some of the visually striking offerings currently on view at The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū.
Located beside the Queens Gardens on the edge of downtown Nelson, The Suter Art Gallery is one of the oldest galleries in New Zealand, with a rich history dating back to the late 19th century, when it was founded in memory of the second bishop of Nelson. It now serves as a contemporary gallery, 150-seat theatre, inspiring education space, as well as a popular café and a gallery store filled with beautiful objects crafted by local artists.
Marti Friedlander: Portraits of the Artists, which is now on display, honours the work of one of New Zealand's most influential photographers. Her documentary-style pictures recorded her adopted country’s social and cultural life from the 1960s into the twenty-first century. Photographing New Zealand's artistic talent, including painters, potters, filmmakers, authors, actors, and musicians, was a constant in her practice.
Marti Friedlander: Portraits of The Artists
Curated by Dr Leonard Bell and toured by The New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata, this exhibition is supplemented by an intense hanging of art works from The Suter’s collection by artists Friedlander photographed and includes some of the biggest names of New Zealand art history, Rita Angus, Toss Woollaston, Don Binney, Philip Clairmont and Gretchen Albrecht.
Sir Henry Kelliher coined the words "Rare and unrivalled beauty" to describe the breathtaking sceneries of New Zealand, and it was his desire to preserve it through painting that led him to organise the renowned competition that bears his name. The exhibition Rare and Unrivalled Beauty: Landscape Paintings from the Kelliher Art Trust Collection offers a snapshot of how this process has unfolded in New Zealand over the last 65 years.
Rare and Unrivalled Beauty: Landscape Paintings from The Kelliher Art Trust Collection
In David Ryan’s project, Harbinger: Ice Across the Path (Wield the Broom), the artist uses a wide range of media, including tableau, models, sculpture, books, drawings, video, and sound, to create a visually rich and intellectually complex work that is marked by laconic humour. It is an enigmatic installation that celebrates the unique skills of one of Nelson’s top artists and invites visitors to investigate and unearth hidden narratives of explorers, archivists, scientists, and mystics.
David Ryan: Harbinger: Ice Across The Path (Wield The Broom)
Nelson is a nationally recognised centre for arts, craft, and culture, so a trip to the city would be incomplete without a visit to The Suter Art Gallery. Stop by to take in all that this unique corner of Nelson has to offer visitors and locals alike — you'll be glad you did.
Exhibition Dates:
Marti Friedlander: Portraits of The Artists | 19 Feb – 10 Apr 2022
Rare and Unrivalled Beauty: Landscape Paintings from the Kelliher Art Trust Collection | 5 Mar – 22 May 2022
David Ryan: Harbinger: Ice Across the Path (Wield the Broom) | 12 Mar – 12 Jun 2022
