headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF artist Stephen Mulqueen has spent a great deal of time acquainting himself with Waiheke working on his culminative exhibition Making History as the 2008 Artist in Residence at Waiheke Community Art Gallery.

Arriving on Waiheke in early June, 2008 Mulqueen quickly set about researching the histories of places, place names and natural histories responding to the unique location of Waiheke Island and wider Hauraki environs.

The artist says “on arrival to the island in early June (2008) my broad plan was to find a way into the Waiheke/Hauraki fabric via the aperture of ‘place’ as named histories. I had been given an introduction to the work of Historian Paul Monin through my Dunedin friend and Irish Historian Rory Sweetman prior to the residency and had read ‘Waiheke a History’ as a prelude to my arrival. However I discovered Paul’s more recent publication ‘Hauraki Contested’ during my first weeks here which I readily consumed and it is from this work that I have been able to draw out a poetic metaphor regarding the shared bi-cultural history in Hauraki – Toroa/Albatross, which has become a major focus for this exhibition.” (more…)

Born in Christchurch, Pauline Rhodes lived in Wellington, Westport and also abroad in Nigeria and England before returning to Christchurch in 1970. She obtained her Diploma of Fine Art in Sculpture at the University of Canterbury in 1974.  Rhodes became one of New Zealand’s early environmental sculptors when in the mid 1970’s she began working outdoors and incorporating elements of nature into her work. Exhibiting in galleries throughout New Zealand, Rhodes also holds the distinction of being the first recipient of the Olivia Spencer Bower Award in 1987.

Her alterations of the landscape are often colourful, gentle and temporary, frequently opting to work in remote, isolated and seemingly uninhabited land, placing rods and other materials that she has brought with her to the site. Rhodes photographs her works before removing the display, and may at times be the only eyes to see the physical sculpture.

Pauline Rhodes exhibited at the last headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF exhibition, erecting a colourful sculpture entitled ‘treebody’ from aluminium tubing and fabric high in a tree overhanging the coastal walkway. [pictured above] (more…)

Christchurch based artist and Lecturer in Sculpture at the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts Louise has made the visit back and forth from Christchurch to Waiheke Island since being selected for headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF 2009 in June 2008.

Showing her dedication to site specific sculpture Palmer visited the Church Bay walkway where headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF will be taking place on two occasions before making a final decision on where on the track she would cast natural fauna and in her words “cast from the landscape itself”. These castings will be transported back to Christchurch where the work will come to fruition ready to be re sited in early January.

Louise Palmer and the team at headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF would like to thank Roy Carroll for his generosity and dedication helping Louise on site.

Growing up in Auckland and attending the University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts Brydee graduated in 1999 with Bachelors in the top of the painting section.

In 2001 the world was this artist’s oyster and she moved to Japan undertaking what she describes as “my own residency” - living in Japan for 2 years as a registered alien, teaching to support her studio practice and exhibiting locally. In 2003 travelling to Mexico she undertook a similar self initiated program concluding a substantial solo exhibition Fresco at Galeria de Arte Joven, Difocur - Centro Cultural Genaro Estrada, Culiacan before returning to New Zealand and completing a Masters degree in interdisciplinary practice at Elam in 2006.

Dedicated to exploring relationships and collaborations with fellow artists Brydee is a member of various groups and projects such as ground roots collective Nature’s Ninja’s and ‘Hello Lamb Project’. The artist states “It is my aim to sow the seeds of collaboration and exchange into the future and enjoy the undercurrents of ideas and friendship between the participating artists”. (more…)

Auckland based artist Paul Radford studied at the School of Fine Arts Auckland and has exhibited throughout New Zealand for over 30 years. His body of work references both Pacific and modernist traditions. The mask-like heads bring to mind both Pacific Island totem figures and Brancusi-esque forms in a manner which welcomes exploration and interpretation. Repeatedly Radford’s blank faces lack distinguishing facial features but despite this, the forms evoke character and emotion through shade and painterly texture.

With a rich working history in commercial and set design as well an established grounding in fine arts practice, Radford is a technically virtuous painter whose work experiments with the nature of aesthetics of nature and visual knowledge. (more…)

Born in 1968, Louise Purvis studied at Napier Polytechnic 1987-88 and Waiariki Polytechnic (Rotorua) 1989-90, graduating with a Certificate in Craft Design, and Diploma of Craft Design (Maori). Now a resident of Auckland, Purvis’s primary mediums are stone and metals, and when not sculpting she subsidises her art work by assisting with stone masonry projects (including the recent refurbishment of Auckland’s St Matthews in the City church).

She describes her works as having “a simplicity to them which belies their actual making. recent work has been based around land forms and notations of marking and mapping.”

Louise is one of the 16 artists exhibiting at headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF for the first time in 2009. She is an artist who values the importance of humour, and enjoys twisting ideas around, animating static objects, or adding human characteristics to her works. For further reading on the talented Louise Purvis, her full bio can be viewed here, or check out her website here.

Professor Jahnke is currently the Head of The School of Maori Studies, and Maori Visual Arts Programme Coordinator at Massey University, with research specialties in Māori visual arts, and the history of Māori visual culture (traditional/contemporary).

Born in Waipiro Bay in 1951, Robert Jahnke originally trained in design and film, but has since become a leading sculptor in New Zealand artistic circles. His mixed German/Samoan/Maori/Irish ancestry epitomises the makeup of modern New Zealand. Jahnke is an advocate for biculturalism, with tribal affiliations to Te Whanau a Rakairoa, Te Whanau a Iritekura, Ngai Taharora, and Ngati Porou. (more…)

Born in Tokyo, Kazu Nakagawa came to New Zealand in 1987, bringing with him a set of traditional Japanese cabinetmaker’s tools. His extraordinary skill at working with wood, immense patience and willingness to spend whatever it takes to achieve perfection have created some incredible works of art (see here).

Nakagawa has exhibited at previous headland SCULPTURE ON THE GULF exhibitions and is himself a Waiheke Island local. For further information, visit www.kazunakagawa.com