SPA_CE

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This beautiful works occupies the gallery window .. from our current show ‘Mappa Mundi’..

Matt Arbuckle
Crisscross, 2024.
Acrylic on knitted polyester, framed in aluminium
1630x1320mm.

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Matt Arbuckle’s debut show ‘Mappa Mundi’ opens today.

A series of 8 paintings and 3 bronze tiles works are now installed. All works are available to view on the website.

We are open 11-3pm for preview and then return 5-7pm to welcome the show, please join us for a glass of wine, Matt will be present.


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STOCKROOM SUNDAY ..

From the show ‘Rectangles Don’t Always Count’, May 2023.

The thought of presenting a selection of drawings in the gallery had been on my mind for a couple of years. Studio visits, conversations, notes and sketches are so often a part of the material one looks at in order to locate an idea or a concept, develop language, understand scale, go through budgets - it all felt particularly relevant to an artists practice and to my work as a gallerist. From late last year I began approaching a number of artists based in both Australia and New Zealand and the response was in almost all cases positive. I left the idea open to the artist and what they saw as something they wanted to share, whether it be a study, a diary entry, plans, mock ups or work that in their own right become complete.

This from Mark Braunias.

My idea is to submit an enamel painting on paper work. My thinking around drawing is that it is best represented as painting. I often think of sketches and dry media studies as rehearsals for drawing. So for me painting is when drawing declares itself more overtly. I see no separation between drawing and painting other than in painting the drawing as such is completed by a brush and liquids.

Mark Braunias
Meltdown, 2023.
Enamel on paper
1000x700mm.
braunias

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This work from John Eaden gracing our window ..

Track St George’s Rd, 2024.
Oil on linen, 750x1120mm.

All works can be viewed online.

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John Eaden
TRAC(K)

Logs Papawai Road, 2024.
Oil on canvas
300x400mm.

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SUNDAY STOCKROOM

A new series where I present a work from the stockroom each Sunday ..

Dick Frizzell
Storm at Sea, 2021.
Oil & printers ink on linen
500x500mm.

From our show FrizzPopp II .. link in stories.

I pored through my collection of dogeared American comics…only to come up with one ‘Fire and Water’ image ( Explosion at Sea) and had to subsequently reel in my ambitions. ‘Earth’ being way too amorphous a thing to represent, I decided to concentrate on ‘Water’. Hence the aquatic link in all fifteen images. As organising principles go, it’s a slender one but it did the business.

To make the frieze presentation read as consistently as possible I’ve resorted to a combination of painting and silkscreening on each canvas. It’s been an interesting exercise with the production divided between my studio and the Artrite silkscreen studios out at Onehunga.

Dick Frizzell, 2021.

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John Eaden
Bridge 826 (St George’s Rd), 2024
Oil on canvas
355x455mm.


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Martin Poppelwell speaks with Graeme Douglas on The Good Oil podcast.

You’ll hear Martin talk about how important to his overall practice studying ceramic design and production at the Whanganui Polytechnic has been, the origin of his grid motif and how it contributes to composition and philosophical approach to painting, how Samuel Beckett provided a new perspective on what his painting could be, the challenges he deliberately creates for himself in paintings and the time consuming, multi layered process he follows to prepare the surface of a canvas to make it look like there isn’t any preparation at all.

Martin next shows with the gallery in November alongside Dick Frizzell in FrizzPopp III, our third iteration of this series - Paper, paintings and pottery.

You can find a link to the podcast in bio. Thanks Graeme!

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One of the smaller scale works in our current show by John Eaden ‘Trac(k)’ ..

Stream side track St George’s Road
Oil on canvas, 355x455mm.

Available to view online ..


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In our current show Trac(k)..

John Eaden
Lane (Farmlet Rd), 2024.
Oil on linen,
750x1020mm.


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John Eaden’s show Trac(k) is now open ..

All works are available to view online. Window image
Track St George’s Rd, Oil on linen 750x1120mm.


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Opening today is John Eaden’s show Trac(k).

The show comprises of 10 paintings where the work has been observed, taken and constructed from John’s semi rural environment in Hawke’s Bay. This may be the last time we see such pieces, John now having relocated to the Rangitīkei district.

Please join us tonight to welcome this new body of work from 5-7pm, John will be in attendance.

All work is now available to view online..


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Trac(k)
John Eaden
September 4th - October 5th.

We reopen the gallery following our Winter break with a solo painting show from John Eaden.

The show comprises of 10 paintings where the work has been observed, taken and constructed from John’s semi rural environment in Hawke’s Bay. This may be the last time we see such pieces, John now having relocated to the Rangitīkei district.

A physical state providing the opportunity to go from one location to another. Track down, a search and journey leading to a discovery or outcome. Stop in your tracks, finding a realisation and awakening.

This new body of work identifies and records a scene or view which then becomes its own article, the image recorded being no longer subject to the conditions of nature or time.

John Eaden, 2024.

Please join us to welcome this new body of work on Wednesday September 4th 5-7pm, John will be in attendance. To request a catalogue ahead of the show opening please DM or email [email protected]

John Eaden Studio Visit, June 24, 2024.

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Another from Jake Walker, from his scroll series ..

Untitled (12.12.23).
Acrylic on linen,
400x630mm.

In the gallery today until 3pm..

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Martin Poppelwell has always been interested in using text and language as a way to construct form. In this instance a reference to Samuel Beckett's novel 'Malone Dies', where action, location, judgement, space and description occur simultaneously to create an imaginary sense of 'a real world'.

This works full title is ..

and she came back a little later, holding with the tips of her fingers the hat in question, retrieved perhaps from the rubbish heap at the end of the vegetable garden, for to know everything takes too long, for it was fringed with manure and seemed to be rotting away. and what is more she suffered him to put it on, and even helped him do so, helping him to sit up in bed and arranging his pillows in such a way that he might remain propped up without fatigue. (md, pp294, sb).

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We start the gallery week with a work from Paul Hartigan tiled ‘WAVE’.

Paul Hartigan b. 1953.

Auckland-based contemporary artist Paul Hartigan is New Zealand’s leading proponent of neon art. He is also one of New Zealand’s most significant makers of public art, widely recognised for his large-scale public light commissions, which have enhanced many of its urban spaces.

His spectacular neon monochrome Colony (2004), commissioned by the University of Auckland for the Faculty of Engineering on Symonds Street, was awarded Best Public Sculpture, Metro Magazine Awards in 2006.

Images:

‘WAVE’, 2018.
Neon on board,
300x300x100mm.

Colony, 2004.
Collection of Auckland University.

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DITTO
Paul Hartigan, Jake Walker, Martin Poppelwell,
Kirsten Roberts & Tom Mackie.
July 3 - August 31.

We have just completed the install of ‘ditto’ a reincarnation of our presentation at the Aotearoa Art Fair held in Auckland in April earlier this year.

The show comprises of works from artists shown at this time, supplemented with some new works. The Installation will continue over the Winter months of July and August.

We are having an opening on Friday July 5th, 5-7pm, all welcome.

If you are interested in seeing the show but are unable to visit the gallery any time soon please email torequest a catalogue [email protected]

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Idol,
Idyll,
Idol.

until June 29.

Kirsten Roberts.
Cold Light, 2024.
Oil on linen, 800x600mm.

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These paintings are an exercise in spatial ambiguity; paintings where a pathway is negotiated between what exists, and what we believe to exist.

Kirsten Roberts.

Block, 2024.
Oil on linen
500x400mm.

All works are available to view online.


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We had a wonderful opening reception last night, thanks to those that were able to make it.

The gallery is open until 3pm today. If you are visiting the region over the long weekend I am happy to open by appointment, just DM to arrange.

Kirsten Roberts.
Clincher, 2024.
Oil on linen, 500x400mm.


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Kirsten Roberts ‘Idol, Idyll, Idle’ opens today.

The gallery is open until 4pm for preview and then again from 5-7pm for the opening event .

Kirsten is in town so please join us if you are able ..

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KIRSTEN ROBERTS
IDOL, IDYLL, IDLE
MAY 31 - JUNE 29

SPA_CE is very pleased to present our first solo show with Auckland based painter Kirsten Roberts. We successfully introduced Kirsten’s practice to the gallery at the Aotearoa Art Fair recently with both paintings acquired going in to a private and institutional collection.

Please join us for the opening on Friday May 31st, Auckland based Kirsten will be present.

To enquire about works of register for a preview catalogue please email the gallery at [email protected]

Image:  Fold, 2024. Oil on linen, 500x400mm.

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Mark’s paintings often start wandering around his Melbourne neighbourhood, making observations, taking photos .. drawing, and then painting.

We visited Mark in his studio last August ahead of making work for our current show with him ‘Candle Mountain’ ..

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Love this little peep ..

Bell / Bird and Garden City from Mark Alsweiler.


photo

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The gallery is now open with Mark Alsweiler’s show ‘Candle Mountain’.

We are here until 3pm for preview and then return 5-7pm to officially open the show, all welcome.

Tracks, 2024.
Acrylic on Aluminium,
440x335mm.


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