NIGEL BROWN

Wakatipu (2011)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 1000 x 700 mm

Queenstown (2011)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 1000 x 700 mm

Shotover (2011)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 1000 x 700 mm

Remarkable

You’re

in the Nude (2011) acrylic on paper, sheet: 1000 x 700 mm

Wakatipu - Central Otago (2011) acrylic on paper, sheet: 649 x 501 mm

Bust Yer Guts (2011)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 1000 x 700 mm

Our Otago Dreaming (2011)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 1000 x 700 mm

Gold in My Veins (2011)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 1000 x 700 mm

Finders Keepers (2011)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 592 x 417 mm

Dart River (2010)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 765 x 1125 mm

Go Weep! (2011)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 765 x 1125 mm

Typical New Zealander (2010)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 1125 x 765 mm

Love Aotearoa (2012)

acrylic on paper, sheet: 1125 x 765 mm

Nigel Brown has had a long term, multi-faceted relationship with the Queenstown area. His grandfather on the Brown side was the first child born on the Kyeburn diggings. Relatives such as Moses Brown and John Brown were gold miners who sluiced extensively. His grandparents ran the Lowburn Station near Cromwell and he spent formative years on a small farm on the Crown Range. And since moving to Southland, he has visited Queenstown, Glenorchy and the Paradise Valley and other places in Central Otago regularly.

This exhibition of paintings on black paper primarily focuses upon the Lakes District. The works are expressive in character, imaginative in essence and utilise –as a stylistic convention – a woodcut technique of broad outlines. Brown makes no especial endeavour to be realistic but actively utilises source material such as maps; the locations, history and characters of gold mining; the physical structures, patterns and shadows of the alpine landscape and water.

The evocative place-specific dialogues develop the mythic nature of Brown’s narratives. These function just as much as incantations as characteristic visual devices. In works such as Shotover (2011), Our Otago Dreaming (2011,) and Wakatipu – Central Otago (2011,) the role performed by words is dynamic, innovative and dramatically varied.

Fundamental to Brown’s works is a humanist philosophy. Time and time again he has explored the connections and disjuncture between place and belief, between what we are and what we think we are. This is fully evidenced in the gold mining works of course but in the iconic Go Weep (2011) and Typical New Zealander (2010) he returns to his dominant concerns of identity and how we treat (and mistreat) our environment. In Love Aotearoa (2012), a work which radiates with light and is strongly suggestive of a stained glass window, he builds a powerful metaphor of love.

NIGEL BROWN

b. 1949, lives Southland

Life’sNotFair(2007-08)

Nigel Brown has established a reputation as one the most important figurative artists working in New Zealand and is acknowledged as New Zealand’s leading narrative artist. His distinctive works are a blend of symbolic and expressionistic approaches with a deep social concern.

Brown actively uses story telling precepts within the ‘confines’ of the image. He directly and selectively employs history, literature, politics, etc. as devices and in so doing examines the varied plights of the individual and environment with an emotional, intuitive sympathy which is accurate, incisive and clothed in a vernacular of the human condition.

His work expresses fundamental spiritual and humanistic concerns common to mankind. These are infused with the particularity of cultural location and reference, the specific of place and event, the dynamism of individual character and personality with the narrative (artist as author) point of view.

A potent myth-maker, Brown articulates the conscience of a country reinterpreting and revisiting its past. He translates this and expresses its (discordant) present with the expectation of better things to come.

Born in Invercargill, New Zealand in 1949, Nigel Brown (ONZM) gained a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Elam School of Arts, University of Auckland in 1971 and began his full time artist career in 1972. Since then he has exhibited extensively in public and private galleries throughout New Zealand and has had several touring exhibitions including in 2000-2001 ‘Points Along the Way’ (a survey). After many years living in suburban Auckland, he moved to a coastal property in rural Southland in 2000. He has received numerous awards, commissions and residencies and is represented in most New Zealand public collections and many private collections. Brown was awarded the Order of NZ Merit for Services to painting and printmaking in 2004 and in 2005 was awarded a three week residency in Russia hosted by NZ’s ambassador in Moscow, Stuart Prior.

In addition to his painting, Brown is also a printmaker and he has undertaken two significant stained glass window designs – St Mary’s Catholic Church, Auckland (1991) and Auckland Cathedral, Parnell (1998). Most recently Brown completed ‘Seven Last Words’ (2009) a suite of lithographs commissioned by Chamber Music NZ in association with String Quartet in honour of the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death

EDUCATION

1968-71

NIGEL BROWN

b. 1949, lives Southland

Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland (BFA) (Tutors include McCahon and Ellis)

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2012 Black Paper Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Dusky Doubtful, milford galleries queenstown

2011 Travel to Travel, Southland Museum, Invercargill; Lopdell House, Auckland

Mitre, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Short Lives of Birds, whitespace, Wellington

2010 Short Lives of Birds, whitespace, Auckland

New Lemon Tree, Williams Gallery, Petone

The Written Word: Works from the Artist, Wallace and Museum Collections, Tairawhiti Museum and Art Gallery, Gisborne

Selected Works, milford galleries queenstown

2009 All Our Days, Milford Galleries Dunedin

The Haydn Lithos, Touring Papergraphica Exhibition, Launching at Futuna Chapel, Karori, Wellington

Art of Reading, Williams Gallery, Petone

2008 Conversations, milford galleries queenstown

Lamp, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland

Antarctic Visions, Williams Gallery, Petone

2007 Gold Miner, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Will To Meaning, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland

2006 Worded Image, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland

Southern Odyssey Project Commission: Painting for Railway, Mossburn Hotel

Iconic Way, milford galleries queenstown

Personage, Eastern Southland Gallery, Gore

2005 Yeah, Human, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland Allegories, Tinakori Gallery, Wellington

A Russian Journey, Lithographs, Muka, Auckland

Russian Works, New Zealand Embassy, Moscow, Russia

2004 I Am IV, CoCA, Christchurch

Human Condition, Tinakori Galley, Wellington

Dance of the Origin, Milford Galleries Dunedin

2003 Points Along The Way, Aigantighe Art Gallery, Timaru

I Am III, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland

Deco Echo, Statements Gallery, Napier

2002 Points Along the Way, Ashburton Art Gallery; Forester Gallery, Oamaru

I Am II, Tinakori Galley, Wellington

This Human Place, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland

2001 Points Along the Way, Pataka Porirua Museum of Arts and Culture; Fisher Gallery, Auckland; Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui

I Am, Warwick Henderson Gallery, Auckland

2000 Points Along The Way, touring show by Milford Galleries Dunedin; Suter Gallery Nelson Hard Pressed, Portfolio Gallery, Auckland

Road Works, Statements Gallery, Napier

1999 Encounter and Discovery: Pacifica, Rotorua Museum of Art and History

1998 Antarctica, touring show Government House, Wellington & Auckland, Southland Museum and Art Gallery, Canterbury Museum

1996 Pacifica V Southland, Museum and Art Gallery, Invercargill

1993 Living Here Aotearoa, Aigantighe Art Gallery, Timaru; Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch

Living Here Aotearoa, A Survey, Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North

1988 1984 and After, Manawatu Art Gallery, Palmerston North

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2010 Delights, Medallion Artists New Zealand, Remuera Gallery, Auckland

My City, Whitespace, Auckland

58th Peace Art Exhibition, Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse #1 (Yokohama New Port), Japan

2009 Medallion Show, Remuera Gallery, Auckland Masterworks, milford galleries queenstown

57th Peace Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Ueno, Japan

Garden of Delights, New Zealand Medallion Group, Auckland Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre

Artists to Save Our Water, Chamber Gallery, Rangiora Taste, Auckland Art Gallery

The Captain, Tauranga Art Gallery

2008 Nine Artists in Fiordland, St Paul’ Cathedral (Caselburg Trust) Dunedin

Eden Arts Sketchbook Project: For Artists in Eden Day

Select, Old School Puke Ariki, New Plymouth

56th Peace Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Veno Japan

Sinfonia Antarctica, The New Dowse, Lower Hutt

Te Kauri, Zealandia, Warkworth (2008-2009)

Guest Artist (With B. Brickell) NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington

Artists to Save our Water, NG Gallery, Christchurch

Showcasing Southland Artists, Southland Museum and Art Gallery

Adornment, Medallion Group, Waiheke

2007 55th Peace Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Veno Japan

Art for Conversation, Michael Fowler Centre / Government House, Wellington

The Printmakers, Catchment Gallery, Nelson

The Shock of the New, CoCA, Christchurch

Ten Renowned Artists, Remuera Gallery, Auckland

2006 Driving Creek collaborative ceramic sculpture with Barry Brickell

The VAANA Fragments, Outreach, Auckland

VAANA Mural, Digitised Version, Karangahape Road, Auckland

Editions, Catchment Gallery, Nelson

Masterstrokes, Gallery 33, Wanaka

Inview: Works from VVA Art Collection, Curated by Adam Art Gallery, Wellington

2005 Everyday Moments, (with Cathy Helps), CoCA, Christchurch

The Hocken Collections in Auckland, Portraits of Artists, University of Otago House

A Celebration of the Life of Lyndsay Crooks, Dunedin Community Gallery

In From the Cold, Christchurch Public Art Gallery

45˚ Below, An Antarctic Summer, Forrester Gallery, Oamaru

53rd Peace Art Exhibition, Ueno, Tokyo, Japan

Medallion Group Exhibition, Catchment Gallery, Nelson

2004 McCahon’s Legacy, Ferner Gallery, Wellington

Transit of Venus, milford galleries queenstown

Three Notable Printmakers, Willams Gallery, Petone

A Comparison of Scale, The New Zealand Medallion Group, Percy Thomson Gallery, Stratford

Pacific Rim, Contemporary New Zealand Medallic Sculpture, Medalia, Rack and Hamper Gallery, New York

Fidem XXIX 2004, Seixal, Portugal

52 Anniversary Peace Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Uneo, Japan

The Sublime Metaphor, New Zealand House, Haymarket, London; City University of New York (CVNY)

2003 Oxford University Museum; Leedy-Volkous Art Centre Gallery, Kansas City

Ranges of Inspration, Corban Estate Arts Centre, Waitakere City

Art in the Woolshed, Tawharanui

51st Anniversary Peace Art Exhibiton, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno, Japan

2002

Connectedness, Hawkes Bay Museum

Barking Mad, The Suter, Nelson

On Location, Te Papa Touring Exhibition, Included Southland Museum

The Wind in the Fences, Dunedin Public Art Gallery

Overview, AS IS, Landscape and Metaphor, Milford Galleries Dunedin

Artists Against Aqua, Forrester Gallery, Oamaru

Annual Spring Exhibition, Anderson House, Invercargill

Pacific Rim, Simons Gallery , London, England

Southern Exposure, Artists Residence, Cosy Nook

50th Anniversary Peace Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Museum, Uneo, Japan

Pacific Rim, Brooke Gifford Gallery, Christchurch

Spiritual Art, Auckland

2001 Cranleigh Barton Drawing Awards, McDougall Gallery, Christchurch (Finalist 2001)

Pacific Rim, Cliff McPherson Gallery, Christchurch

Millennium Medallions, Auckland Museum

49th Anniversary Peace Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno, Japan

Sheep, CoCA, Christchurch

2000 The Artists Chair, Milford Galleries Auckland

Millennium Medallions, Wellington City Art Gallery

Annual Spring Exhibition, Anderson House, Invercargill

Text and Image, Lopdell House, Auckland

XXVII Fidem 2000 Internationalle Medaillenkunst, Berlin Weimar

48th Anniversary Peace Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno, Japan

1996 Murals for Auckland Town Hall Restoration Project and Green Peace.

1994 Visiting Artist, Hawkes Bay Polytechnic

1987 1987 Print Series, City Gallery, Wellington

1985 Living in the Bomb Age, Dunedin Public Art Gallery

AWARDS & COMMISSIONS

2009 “The Haydn Lithos”, Printed Papergraphica, Christchurch. Commissioned by Chamber Music NZ in association with NZ String Quartet (performance) and Sara Brodie (video included in the performance). Performance touring New Zealand, 2009

2007 Cover for Courses and Careers, Cervin Publishing

2006 Work for Railway Hotel, Mossburn, Southern Odessey Trail

2005 Awarded a three week residency in Russia hosted by NZ’s ambassador in Moscow, Stuart Prior, and partially funded by private contributors in NZ

2004 ONZM for services to Painting and Print Making

1998 Inaugural member Artists to Antarctica

Stained glass window commission Auckland Anglican Trinity Cathedral, Parnell, Auckland

Southern Odyssey Project Commission: Painting for Railway, Mossburn Hotel

1995 Finalist Visa Gold

1993 Artist in Residence, Wanganui Regional Polytechnic

1991 Stained glass window commission St Mary’s Catholic Church, Auckland

1986 Awarded QEII Arts Council Grant

1981 Awarded QEII Arts Council Grant for travel to USA, UK & Europe

1978 Awarded QEII Arts Council Grant

COLLECTIONS

Hocken Library Dunedin

Alexander Turnbull Library

Auckland Art Gallery

Sarjeant Gallery

Robert McDougall Art gallery

Te Papa Tongarewa

Manawatu Art gallery

Dowse Art Museum

Waikato Museum of Art & History

Lincoln College

University of Auckland

University of Otago

Chartwell Trust Collection

Aigantighe Art gallery

Creative NZ

University of Canterbury

Porirua Court

Massey University

University of Waikato

Gisborne Museum & Arts Centre

The Rutherford Collection

Anderson Park Art Gallery

Christchurch City Council

Ministry Of External Relations and Trade

The Suter

Hawkes Bay Polytechnic

ANZ Bank

BNZ

Fletcher Challenge Bank of NZ

Bromhead Design

Centra Hotel

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Russell McVeagh

Simpson Grierson

Eastern Southland Gallery

Canterbury Museum

Fletcher Challenge Petroleum

Natural Gas Corporation

PricewaterhouseCoopers

Westpac Trust

Buddle Findlay

NZ Insurance

Tower Corporation

AMP

Millennium Hotels

Tauranga Art Gallery

2011 Nigel Brown: Travel To Travel, (catalogue) Southland Museum and Art Gallery; Invercargill, 2011

Wolfe, Richard and Stephen Robinson, Artists At Work, Penguin Books, London, England

2010 Ed. Paul Millar, James K Bazter, Selected Poems, Fyfield Books, Carcanet Press Ltd

Manchester and Auckland University Press, Auckland (work on the cover)

‘Living Icons’, Jam Radio, Depot Artspace, Devonport, Auckland. Denys Trussell Interviews Artist.

Wolfe, Richard and Stephen Robinson, Artists @ Work, Penguin

2009 ‘North South’, Handwritten and Illustrated by Artist. Poem by Glenn Colquhoun. Steele Roberts. CNZ Funded.

‘The Christian Symbolism of Nigel Brown’, Alastair Lane, Stimulus, Vol 17, Issue 1, February 2009

The Brown Years, exhibition catalogue, Tauranga Art Gallery. (Catalogue essay by Penny Jackson)

2008 Gifford, Adam, ‘Shadows of McCahon and More’, Herald, October 11, 2008

Orton, Mark, Nine Artists in Fiordland, A DVD of Break Sea Girl Trip

Kim Hill Interview, Radio NZ, 19 April 2008

The Real Art Show (Promotional pack for touring show)

‘Talk Talk’, Finlay McDonald, Free Air, Recorded June 2008

Johnstone, Christopher, The Painted Garden in NZ Art, Random House NZ, 2008 Wolfe, Richard, NZ Portraits, , Penguin, 2008

Trussell, Dennis, The Expressive Forest, Brick Row Publishing, Auckland, 2008

K.M., Bravado (Cover), Issue 14, 2008, (Included Katherine Mansfield Conference Paper by P. Jackson, London)

‘Te Ara’, the Encyclopaedia of NZ, Online, Ministry of Culture and Heritage

2007 Fallow, Michael, ‘Vulnerable Stuff’, Southland Times, 2007

Eyley, C.P., No Nukes is Good Nukes, CD, 2007

Clairmont, Sunday Programme, 4/11/2007, TV1 Footage and interview

Will To Meaning, Catalogue 2007, W.H. Gallery, Auckland. (Note by B. Brickell)

2004 Dance of the Origin, DVD material (unedited) of Milford Galleries Dunedin exhibition, 2004, (TV1 coverage, rehearsal, paintings)

1991 O’Brien, Gregory, Nigel Brown, Random Century

InnerTruth(2006-09)