~ Iain Cheesman
Which Way from Where we Came
19 Oct – 1 Dec
In the North Gallery, we welcome back Iain Cheesman. Iain’s career has blossomed – he was one of the stars of Spring1883 in Sydney this year – and this new work shows why. Mature, playful, and deeply thoughtful, it’s work that continues to question, lament, and sometimes smile about, the shared disparate life that we all find ourselves living in. With over 60 works on show, this is one of our show picks of the year.
~ Rainer Beneke
When Planets Align
19 Oct – 1 Dec
Our first jewellery in our history and it’s an absolute ripper! Dunedin based Rainer Beneke has delivered a magical show inspired by the work of Iain Cheesman. Rainer is a goldsmith, having trained in Dunedin in the early 1990’s with Blair Smith and at the Otago Polytechnic School of Art. He’s always had a fascination for metals, particularly silver and gold and the ductile properties of these noble metals make him see them as ‘liquid’ – and he likes to ‘push’ them into place.
~ Wayne Youle
HERE I give Thanks
19 Oct – 1 Dec
We’re delighted to welcome Wayne Youle to The Vivian for his first ever solo show with us in conjunction with Suite Gallery in Wellington. Fitting for someone about to embark on a McCahon residency, the title of this show directly references McCahon’s 1961 painting, ‘Here I give thanks to Mondrian’. In a world where it can sometimes feel everyone is only in it for themselves, Wayne thought it was refreshing to see such an open and honest homage.
~ Spring1883
Sydney 11-14 September 2019
11 Sep – 14 Sep
From Matakana…. to Sydney. We’re about to share The Vivian story with a whole new audience. Join us at Spring1883 – our first ever international art fair experience, where we’re showing Rebecca Wallis, Iain Cheesman, Nicholas Ives, Monique Lacey and Rupert Herring.
~ Still No Answer
Contemporary Women Artists
from Australia and New Zealand
31 Aug – 13 Oct
In a follow up to last year’s Never an Answer show, we’re proud to showcase outstanding work – from some of Australia’s and New Zealand’s most significant women artists in this major exhibition.
~ Wanda Gillespie
Higher Thinking
31 Aug – 13 Oct
Hand carved and painstakingly made. All of the work in this show is testimony to Wanda Gillespie’s raw talent – and deeply philosophical thinking. Quite simply it’s breathtakingly beautiful.
~ Andrew McDonald
Declarations
31 Aug – 13 Oct
Born and raised in Northland – Andrew grew up queer in a conservative rural community before going on to live predominantly in London. His work seeks to integrate these dualities into objects and images that speak of our times.
~ Grace Wright
You and Your Resolve
6 Jul – 25 Aug
It’s rare to uncover a new style of painting in New Zealand and Grace Wright delivers a whole show of it. This unique show has been created exclusively for The Vivian Grace Wright’s paintings are as enigmatic as they are joyful, liquid engineering that defies and bounces rigid academic perspectives well beyond the box of the stretcher frame.
~ Liz Sharek
Wild Things
6 Jul – 25 Aug
Liz Sharek brings her latest experiments in clay and glaze to the Studio Gallery – where she’s transformed the space into something… gloriously wild! Experience a little bit of Liz’s opulent side. Bright organic flower forms nestled in dense, bush-like foliage burst through experimental glazes and forms, complete with roughly sawn organic log plinths.
~ Rupert Herring
The Avenue Where The Silhouettes Pass
6 Jul – 25 Aug
Rupert’s work is well-known and well-loved – And in this, his first solo show at The Vivian – you’ll see a marked progression in both style – and influence. Elements from Greek and Roman architectural forms contrast with personal explorations of New Zealand landscapes in a range of woods; all sustainable and mostly salvaged.
~ Martin Poppelwell
V ~ Projects
1 Jun – 30 Jun
Martin is an artist who (thankfully) refuses to adhere to a single discipline, being known and loved for his drawings, paintings, ceramics, installations and sculpture. Bringing his unique sense of humour, rock-solid insights, and his legendary creative genius to The Vivian for the very first time, we’re proud that Martin is helping us make a little bit of art history with our very first V Project.
~ Monique Lacey
The Weight of The World
18 May – 30 Jun
This is Monique’s first major solo show at The Vivian, and it’s a ripper! Just back from a very successful exhibition in the US, Monique’s crushed forms and layered textures proved a big hit at the recent Auckland Art Fair. She’s been working hard in her Auckland studio to produce a range of works that are powerful, elegant and punchy.
~ Towards the Forest
Into the unknown
18 May – 30 Jun
This unique group show has been 6 months in the planning, and we can't wait to share it with you. Towards The Forest asks artists to consider the use of landscape as a metaphor for the unknown; the erratic, sometimes frightening – but ultimately hopeful – times we live in. The works are bold, dark, mischievous and sometimes humorous, but they are all excellent examples of the calibre of art being produced in Aotearoa and Australia today.
~ Ivan Lupi
A Private Requiem
16 May – 20 May
We are thrilled to welcome back internationally-renowned performance artist Ivan Lupi for the world-premiere performance of 'A Private Requiem’. Don’t miss this dark, deeply moving and brave 5-day endurance performance. On each day between 16 – 20 May from 11am to 5pm. Visitors are welcome to experience each stage as it evolves, and also take part at specific times. This is an event you will not forget.
~ Auckland Art Fair
2019
1 May – 5 May
This year, we’re delighted to welcome back Patricia Piccinini, who will show four major works including Joined Figure, Radiant Field, and Ghost. We’ll also be showing a monumental work by Sally Gabori (courtesy of Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne and The Estate of Sally Gabori) and work from Iain Cheesman, Rupert Herring, Nicholas Ives, Monique Lacey and Rebecca Wallis.
~ Rebecca Wallis
Of Itself
23 Mar – 12 May
This is Rebecca’s first major solo show at The Vivian, and it is as sensational as it is awe-inspiring. Sublime. Raw, and deeply intellectual, Rebecca’s work is inspired by the writings of Julia Kristeva, and her own experience as a woman, and a mother. Trained at Goldsmith’s in London and now based in New Zealand, this new series of paintings continues Rebecca’s practice as a painter of national and international significance.
~ Christopher Duncan
Ad Libitum
23 Mar – 12 May
Christopher is a weaver of extraordinary hand-made textiles, garments, and artworks on a traditional loom in his studio. Many of you will recognise his work from TÜR on K-Road, and he has also been shown in numerous exhibitions. The work on display at The Vivian has been created for this show, and embraces concepts around the joy of making, the defiance of technology, and the celebration of time.
~ Louise
McRae
Trabant Towers
23 Mar – 12 May
After many years with a strong reputation as a painter, Louise McRae made the move to sculpture around two years ago – with truly remarkable results. This body of work is from her ‘Unmonument’ series, an evolving body of work which has been shown to great acclaim in New Zealand. The contrast of these new powerful, slumping and joyful works within the grounds of The Vivian creates a fabulously colourful counterpoint. Don't miss it!
~ National Treasures
Contemporary Ceramics
23 Mar – 12 May
A group show of exciting complementary ceramics from Australia and New Zealand. Featuring a knock-out list of some of the leading artists in our region, you can expect gorgeous and large-scale visual wonders from Virginia Leonard, Glenn Barkley, Aaron Scythe, Stephen Bird, Lynda Draper, Stephen Benwell, Dean Smith, and Carlene Thompson. Don't miss the catalogue by ceramics supremo Glenn Barkley.
~ Memories of Place
The Art of Sally Gabori
23 Mar – 12 May
Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori was born about 1924 on Bentinck Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. She only started painting around eighty years of age, and her career lasted only a decade or so, before she passed away in 2015. Her legacy was a life-affirming body of work that has no parallel in Australian art history. Presented in conjunction with The Estate of Sally Gabori and Alcaston Gallery, Melbourne.
~ Serj Tankian
Teetering on the Edge
2 Feb – 17 Mar
Frontman of global hard-rock sensations System Of A Down, Serj Tankian’s art is as powerful and edgy as his music. This selection of recent work includes a series of editioned and hand-finished unique signed prints. Bring your earphones and download the app for the full audio-visual experience.
~ Marian Maguire
Goddesses
2 Feb – 17 Mar
Marian Maguire’s ‘Goddesses’ is a series of large-scale prints that reimagine the traditional roles of the Greek Goddesses through a feminine lens. They are witty, delightful, and beautiful explorations that beg numerous questions; what would our traditional Goddesses do if they saw the state of the world we live in? Would they carry on their roles in supporting the status quo? Or would they simply give up? Walk away? Or transfer their role as deities to somewhere else?
~ Nicholas Ives
The Worlds of Quinn Mallory
2 Feb – 17 Mar
Magical. Joyful. And sometimes darkly humorous, we welcome Melbourne artist Nicholas Ives back to The Vivian for a major New Zealand solo show in the North Gallery. Nicholas is fast becoming one of Australasia’s hottest young painters, and has shown widely in Australia and overseas. Coupled with an original catalogue essay by Andrew Paul Wood, we’re excited to kick off 2019 with a ripper of a show from one of our newest represented artists.
~ Gow Langsford Sculpture Garden
@thevivian
1 Jan – 1 Jun
Where art meets landscape: Discover the magic of the Gow Langsford Sculpture Garden. This year, we’re proud to host the first ever Gow Langsford Sculpture Garden at The Vivian, featuring a gorgeous selection of outdoor sculpture by highly acclaimed Australasian artists; Paul Dibble, Gregor Kregar, David McCracken and Lisa Roet. This show is on until the end of May - Make sure you don’t miss it!
