Railway Street Gallery + Aotearoa Art Fair 2025
We are very excited to once again be showing the work of a selection of our artists at the Aotearoa Art Fair. We will be exhibiting in the YOUNG section at this year's fair. Our booth is made up of two parts, we are once more showing the beautiful work of our printmakers Prue MacDougall, Nan Mulder, Kyla Cresswell and Catherine Macdonald and added into this mix, painter Kathryn Carter.
Exhibition Statement – ‘I will take the Sun in my mouth’
This curated body of works on paper draws inspiration from a line in the poem titled ‘Crepsucule’ by e.e cummings.
“I will take the sun in my mouth
and leap into the ripe air
Alive
with closed eyes
to dash against darkness”
Each artist has responded to the text making reference to the New Zealand landscape and the experience of living under Southern Hemisphere sun. The works explore the joy and freedom of the life we have in Aotearoa, two islands surrounded by water at the bottom of the world. It looks toward the future with an expression of hope and expresses a sense of abandonment to the beauty of nature. As each day ends a new one lies dormant, waiting to be birthed – fuelled by our hopes and dreams.
This is a call to look to the future, to leave nostalgic sentiment behind and to action our dreams.
Nan Mulder 'In the silence: rain' Mezzotint 3/16
In the second section we will be showing Emma Hercus. She will be telling a beautiful story with her paintings titled 'In between days'. I flew down to Wellington 2 weeks ago to visit Emma at her studio, to view the work, choose the work and chat about the work. It is beautiful - I am really excited she gets to share this with you at Aotearoa Art Fair.
Artist Statement - ‘In between days’
I go to sleep at night dreaming about things from my life that I could paint. Days are spent diving into boxes of old family photos. I love listening to stories from family, friends and my neighbours. It is a New Zealand narrative intertwined with imagination and warped memories. This group of works titled ‘In between days’ draws inspiration from daily life, both past and present. I capture the lives of the people within my community, the activities we take part in, the connection we have to the land, the way we live from it and upon it. And underlying these painted visual stories are questions. What defines our culture? Who are my people and where do I belong? What do I/we prioritise in our lives? Memories from my childhood and adolescence are becoming more prominent in my work. A need to reference and catalogue another time, the big feelings, or perhaps it is because I have no room left for the little memories anymore?
‘In between days’ explores themes of memory, growing up, personal history and culture through colour, texture, pattern and intriguing characters. You as the viewer are invited to find connection, to join the narrative and find your own place within the work. Welcome to my musings.
Emma Hercus 2025
Emma Hercus 'The birthday party' Acrylic on canvas 1000 x 1000mm
We are situated upstairs at Aotearoa Art Fair in Booth U36. We invite you to join us on opening night for a glass of something bubbly and enjoy of being a part of New Zealand's premier art event. See you there x
