Yeah Human (2004) acrylic on canvas, frame: 1400 x 2742 x 60 mm
Three Lamps (2007/08)
stainless steel & oil on linen, frame: 852 x 645 x 58 mm
Pakeha Belongs (1997)
acrylic & photocopy collage on canvas, frame: 950 x 647 x 36 mm
Legend for the West (1986)
acrylic on board, frame: 639 x 1246 x 58 mm
Our Heritage (1987) oil on board, frame: 526 x 615 x 36 mm
Women are Women (1984) oil on board, frame: 437 x 588 x 65 mm
The Dog of Instinct (B) (1978)
acrylic on board, frame: 613 x 484 x 57 mm
Away and Towards (1978)
on board, frame: 349 x 403 x 58 mm
Reading with Volcano (1989) oil on board, frame: 293 x 230 x 20 mm
Clothes Line Ptg No 7 (1981) oil on board, frame: 710 x 640 x 56 mm
The Fruits of Our Labour (2010) acrylic & oil on canvas, frame: 797 x 647 x 36 mm
Blue Temple (1998) acrylic on canvas, frame: 688 x 587 x 28 mm
A Poet as Christ (1980/81) oil on canvas, frame: 512 x 324 x 56 mm
Life Tree (B) (1983-87)
oil on board, frame: 475 x 455 x 62 mm
Madonna Mountain (2007/08)
oil & stainless steel on linen, frame: 1399 x 850 x 59 mm
Zhuo (1997)
acrylic on canvas, frame: 1709 x 942 x 44 mm
Do
Who
You Trust Captain Cook? (2009) oil on canvas, frame: 803 x 653 x 59 mm
Life’s Not Fair (2007/08)
acrylic on linen, unstretched canvas: 1680 x 4000 mm
Death of Cook - A Vision at Tolaga Bay (1992) oil on board, frame: 1249 x 2455 x 60 mm
All is Predatory (2009-11)
acrylic on linen, unstretched canvas: 1980 x 1680 mm
Inner Truth (2006-09)
acrylic on linen, unstretched canvas: 1680 x 1810 mm 24
Saw (2005) oil on board, frame: 1244 x 837 x 58 mm
Lament for Earth (2011) oil on linen, stretcher: 1350 x 802 x 36 mm
Remains of the Day (1997)
acrylic on canvas, frame: 666 x 512 x 35 mm
Glass Wall (2003/04) oil on board, frame: 1549 x 2750 x 63 mm
Te Reo (1984) oil on board, frame: 1549 x 2750 x 63 mm
Notes From a Stereo (1987) oil on board, frame: 1299 x 1224 x 60 mm
Let Time Be Still Ptg 1 (2006) oil on canvas, frame: 755 x 640 x 60 mm
She’ll Be Right (2001) oil on board, frame: 829 x 627 x 36 mm
Away and Towards (takingitstitlefroma1978work)isasubstantialexhibition coveringthirty-threeyearsandcomprisedofworksprimarilydrawnfromtheartist’s privatecollection.Assuchitinevitablytakessomethingofanovervieworsurvey stanceandclearlydemonstrates–forallofNigelBrown’srestlessinventiveness–that hisprimaryhumanistic,environmentalandsocialconcerns(andnarrativestyle) continuouslytraversethequestionsof‘whoareweandwhatarewe,wherearewe nowandwheredowecomefrom?’andthattheseconcernsandquestionshave beenremarkablyconsistentaswellasinsistentacrossthethreedecades represented.
ThisexhibitionchartsBrown’seclecticbackandforthprocessandthedevelopment ofanincreasinglydistinctivevisuallanguage.Hismodusoperandiistosearchforthe universalinthelocalandtospeakofthedislocationbetweentheindividualand societyinthatprocess.Hehasahighlyrefinedanddefinedearforthevernacularin ourthoughtandbehaviour,theargotofourwordsanddeeds.Hehasreferredto himselfasa“symbolicexpressionist”(1)andtherecanbelittledoubtsuchaphraseis accurate.Heisalsoan“emphaticallyfigurativepainter”(2)ofideasandsymbols andinthiswayhecomestoblend“thesurrealwiththefamiliar”(3)ashebuilds allegoriesofbelief,prophecyandwarning.“Brownseesusfacingthejudgementsof nature,societyandecology.”(4)
TherehavebeendistinctphasesandseriesinBrown’scareer–firstlythedomestic (interior)subject;thenthebackyardlife,bothrealandimagined;thebandedtext followedandtheroleperformedbywordsinhisworkbecamecriticallyimportantto hispictorialconcernsandnarrativedevelopment.Hebegantousewordsina noticeablyliterarymannertoadvancepolitical,socialandenvironmentalissuesand dialogues.
Brown’sdevelopmentasanartistandwitheachofhissubjectshasbeenessentially sequentialinnature.Onethinghasledontoanother.Inthismannerhiseverincreasinglexiconofsymbolicimageshasarisen.Similarlyhisuseofwordsastexthas
progressivelydevelopedfrombeingphrasesofdeclarationand/or incantation (The Dog of Instinct, 1978; A Poet as Christ, 1980/81; Women Are Women, 1984) tothe noticeably“newlevelofcomplexityinwhichconflictingideasandfragmentary thoughts”(5)arepresentedinrepeatedrectangularbands (Dictionary of Unusual Men, 2011; I Am a Pakeha New Zealander, 2011).
Lessobviousperhapstosome,butequallysignificant,isthediversevocabularyof religioussymbolsandthisincludestheinclinedpenitent’shead (Remains of the Day, 1997; Lament for Earth, 2011), therosettesun (Blue Temple, 1998), thetableandlamp (Three Lamps, 2007/08), theark,andthearchedwindowwhichappearagainand againinnumerousguisesandroles.
ThemaraeandthemeetinghouseareprimarysymbolsoftheuniquenessofNZ culture (Our Heritage, 1987) anditsnascentspirituality.Theirdeifiedimportanceis presentedassacredlandandcentralityofplace.ButinkeepingwithBrown’srestless questioning,itcannotbesuggestedheisactingasaborn-againMaoriapologistfor hehasopenlyandpersistentlydebatedandassertedhumanequality (Pakeha Belongs, 1997; I am a Pakeha New Zealander, 2011).
Equallyfundamentaltohishumanisticconcernsistheroleofthefamilyandgender equality.Superbearlyexamplesofthisare Life Tree (B), 1983-87 and Te Reo, 1984. Themetaphorsoftheprotectivemotherinthefamily,andlifebeingastage,reach anapogeein Madonna Mountain, 2007/08, wherekeypictorialdevicesaredrawn fromtheworldofthestage,behindwhichamountainouslandscapeispresentedas awaterfall-filledbackdropoverwhichtwokoru-shapedwavesloombeneathan archedwindow.
NigelBrown’smovefromAucklandtoSouthlandresultedinnumerousdevelopments inhiswork. Driving South, 1999 isalargescalevisualpoemofanticipation,where isolation,observationandnaturalfloraandfaunaaretheculturalimperatives. All is Predatory, 2009-11 placesCookandablacksingletNedKellyasprotectorsofabird ofprey.Ironyaboundswiththedirectgazeoftheharrierhawkmakingtheviewerits prey.
Initscourageouscomposition, Inner Truth, 2006-09 takesametaphysicalstance, suggestingthatthelife-longsearchformeaningandpurposeisacontradictory modern-daycompromisethatrequiresenteringtheconcretejungleofthebuiltcity andjourneyingonthedescendingparapetsandcorkscrewingpaths.Brownnever offerseasyanswers- Yeah Human, 2004 isableaktreatisewheretreeshavebeen substantiallymodifiedandperhapsareseentoexistforsomeassculpturalobjects only.
Glass Wall, 2003/04 isasubstantialartisticachievementwhereBrownunitesdisparate itemsdrawnfromNZ’shistoryandcontemporaryculturalfabric.Heincludes gumboots,variouslyreferstodifferentMaoricarvingstyles,depictsmonumental sculptedtorsosandusestablesandbuildingstoleadtheeyeinandcreatespatial depth.Heutilisesmodernistdesignelements,contrastsanimals,birds,humanand sculpturalfigureswithobjectsofdevotion.InthisenthrallingtableauxBrownquotes arthistoryandreferenceskeymotifsfromnumerousprecedingseries.
NoNewZealandartisthassodirectly,repeatedlyorsodiverselyexaminedtheroleof Cookinourhistoryandourpresent. Inthreeofthemajorworksofthisexhibition, BrownrewritesaspectsofthathistoryandimaginesCook’sdeathatthepointoffirst contactwherehecameashore (Death of Cook – A Vision at Tolaga Bay, 1992). In theempathetic,resonant Life’s Not Fair, 2007/08, Cookisshownaloneinfrontofa stage-setofFiordland.Thereheisrevealedasaflawedindividual,dislocated, discombobulatedandacteduponratherthanincommand. Once if Your Curiosity Continued Insatiable, 2007/08 impliesCook’spresencewiththedogprowofthe Endeavouranthropomorphised,overlookingPreservationInletandtheratabranch thatconnectedtheshiptoObservationPoint.
Brownisanallegoricalartistwhousesthepreceptsofdrama –thatishetellsstories placingthenarrativesubjectintospiritualcontext (Zhuo, 1997), specificgeography (No Golden Age, 2001) andclearlydelineatedtime (Let Time Be Still Ptg 1, 2006). He chroniclestheendlessclashesandstrugglesbetweenmaterialismandhumanityin society.Brownisaceaselessquestionerandexperimenteralso,butitmustbe emphasisedthatatheartheisunmistakeablyapainterwhodeliversdistinctivevisual rhythmsandcompelling“harmoniesofformandcolour.”(6)
1.Richard Wolfe, “Bringing it All Back Home; Nigel Brown’s Quest for Identity,” Art NZ 143, Spring 2012, p.57.
2.Denys Trussel, “Three Paintings in the Architecture of Delusion,” essay in Allegories exhibition catalogue, Tinakori Gallery, 2005.
3.Ibid.
4.Ibid.
5.Richard Wolfe, “Bringing it All Back Home; Nigel Brown’s Quest for Identity,” Art NZ 143, Spring 2012, p.79.
6.Gregory O’Brien, Nigel Brown, Random Century, 1991, p.31
NIGEL BROWN
b.1949,livesSouthland
1968-71 Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland (BFA) (Tutors include McCahon and Ellis)
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2014 Away and Towards, Milford Galleries Dunedin
Waterfalls, Solander Gallery, Wellington
2013 Doors Flung Back, The Diversion Gallery, Picton
Invented Lives, milford galleries Queenstown
2012 Black Paper Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin
Short Lives of Birds, Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi, Whakatāne Library & Exhibition Centre
Joe Taihape, whitespace, Auckland
Dusky Doubtful, milford galleries queenstown
Travel to Travel, Rotorua Museum
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, Launch 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
2014 The Royal Queenstown Easter Show, milford galleries queenstown
2013 The Review, milford galleries queenstown
Digital installation of ‘On This Beautiful Morning (2004),Peacock Gallop ,Sumner ,Christchurch
2012 Sum of the Parts, Museum of the Vernacular, The Depot, Devonport, Auckland
Significant Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin
2011 Large Works, Milford Galleries Dunedin
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, Williams 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, NZ House, Haymarket, London; City University of New York (CVNY)
2003 Oxford University Museum; Leedy-Volkous Art Centre Gallery, Kansas City
Ranges of Inspiration, Corban Estate Arts Centre, Waitakere City
Art in the Woolshed, Tawharanui
51st Anniversary Peace Art Exhibition, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno, Japan
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
2002
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
2014 Guest Artist, Dancing Star Foundation based in California.
2011 Black arches series for Dudley Benson’s album ‘Live Series: Volume One’
2010 Backdrop for Dudley Benson’s ‘Forest’ tour
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 Odyssey 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
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2012
The Suter Hawkes Bay Polytechnic
ANZ Bank
BNZ
Fletcher Challenge Bank of NZ
Bromhead Design
Centra Hotel
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
New Zealand Portrait Gallery
‘Cultural Icons’, Jam Radio, The Depot, Devonport, Auckland. Richard Wolfe interviews Artist Wolfe, Richard, ‘Bringing it all Back Home; Nigel Brown’s Quest for Identity’, Art New Zealand, Spring 2012, Number 143, p54-57, 79-80
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 Baxter, Selected Poems, Fyfield Books, Carcanet Press Ltd Manchester and Auckland University Press, Auckland (work on the cover) Carey, Peta, The Waterfall, Watershed Films for TVNZ
‘Cultural Icons’, Jam Radio, The Depot, Devonport, Auckland. Denys Trussell interviews Artist Wolfe, Richard and Stephen Robinson, Artists @ Work, Penguin 2009 ‘North South’, Handwritten/illustrated by Artist. Glenn Colquhoun poem. 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. (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
