Current Exhibitions
Charrette van Eekelen: All Powerful Beings (Darholm vs Shivlack)
Thursday 4 May – Sunday 2 July 2023
Using stitching as drawing, van Eekelen reincorporates painting in mixed media artworks, using both thread and paint over an array of fabrics and materials. Charrette Van Eekelen has re-imagined the superhero sketches of her son’s video game ideas into rich, textural assemblages. Materials have been sourced from all over the world and integrated with hand-stitched embroidery.
About Charrette van Eekelen
Several years ago, artist Charrette van Eekelen moved away from painting to using fabric, hand embroidery and assemblage to depict personal and universal images and abstractions. Drawing on the craft-making histories of both commercial textile arts and private feminine practices of stitching, she explores themes of childhood memory, domestic space and personal connections to beloved paintings and drawings. In recent works created for her MFA (Master of Fine Arts) this year, van Eekelen reincorporates painting in mixed media artworks, using both thread and paint over an array of fabrics and materials. She describes her process in this way,
“I am uncovering layers, recalling what paint does on canvas and how to replicate that and then use that as a starting point, as fabric and material add something other: sensual comfort, the familiar, alongside the purely visual effect of the paint, fabric and thread. As I work, the layers and histories of painting and stitching connect, giving my mind the pleasure of seeing which is which, while dwelling in abstracted images and an atmospheric sense of place. Memories and auto-fictions merge with layers, edits, appropriations and reconstructed images, holding the place of the familiar, and its extension.”
Upcoming Exhibitions
Matariki Artist in Residence: Neke Moa
Wednesday 5 July – Sunday 31 July
For the annual Matariki season Oxford Gallery will host Neke Moa as 2023 Matariki Artist in Residence. Neke Moa is of Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Ahuriri, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou, Tūwharetoa Ngāti Matepū, Ngāi Tū, and Ngāti Whakāri. Oxford Gallery also welcome Paula Conroy (Taranaki) creative writer and storyteller. The pair work collaboratively to research and interpret the Matauranga Māori that ground Moa’s work such as Atua stories, and will be working in Oxford Gallery for most of July.
Neke Moa resides and works at Ōtaki Beach. She has a unique Māori adornment and sculptural practice – pieces drawing heavily on materials found in, or given to her by, te taiao (the environment). Between 2016 and 2020, Neke taught shell craft in Fiji and Tonga. She continues to teach and learn as part of her art practice, which centres on mātauranga Māori, hauora, connectedness, and materiality. Neke was keen to accept an opportunity to be creative in the takiwa of her iwi, Ngāi Tahu.
Past Exhibitions
FOLIO 2023: Oxford Area School
Thursday 30 March – Sunday 30 April
Oxford Area School students who have achieved Excellence in their 2022 NCEA Art studies will exhibit their art portfolios at Oxford Gallery.
Image: Detail from Cailey Hollard’s 2023 FOLIO.
The Tree of Life Project by Miranda Brown
Thursday 16 February – Sunday 12 March 2023
“I am Nature.”
In this immersive space you will be invited to explore what it means to be nature and to respond to the question, “What is our relationship to nature?“
As an Artist and Regenerative Designer, Miranda Brown’s creative practice inspires people to connect with nature, to reflect and take care.
“Essentially my art is all about connecting people to the beauty of nature, to enhance wellbeing and to inspire people to look after our natural world. The focus of my work is the flora and fauna of Aotearoa, the native manu (birds) and the patterns held within nature’s design, known as sacred geometry.”
Miranda Brown has been a leader in the sustainable design movement in New Zealand for the past two decades and is driven by regenerative design principles that look after nature and all life.
Supported by Waimakariri Creative Communities.
North Canterbury Wearable Arts Winners at Oxford Gallery
22 September – 9 October
A display of the winning entries of this year’s North Canterbury Wearable Arts.
No2 ART TRAMP SHOW
25 August – 18 September 2022
Opening 3pm Sat 27 August. Artist talks and events Sun 28 August. All Welcome.
No2 ART TRAMP SHOW brings together two endeavours: individual art practices and a group practice of standing up next to the mountain and risking one’s neck!
Mark Adams, Greta Anderson, Eymard Bradley, Mitchell Bright, Mary-Louise Browne, Conor Clarke, Bruce Connew, Chris Corson-Scott, Bret de Thier, Jane Dodd, Beth Ellery, Marti Friedlander, Samuel Hartnett, Murray Hedwig, Ella Hickford, Craig Hilton, Joseph Jowitt, Jae-Hoon Lee, Ian Macdonald, Richard Mahoney, Andrew McLeod, John Miller, Haruhiko Sameshima, Stephanie Sheehan, Ann Shelton, Timothy Veling, and Hannah Watkinson.
Over the opening weekend the tramping artists were in residence before heading onto the hills. They held gear talks, a boot repair demonstration with field cooking, film and slideshows of their tramping trips.
Image: Marti Friedlander (1928-2016)
Tramping, Arthur’s Pass, South Island (n.d). (from Larks in a Paradise (1974) p64)
Matthew McIntyre-Wilson: Matariki Artist in Residence at Oxford Gallery
30 June – 7 August 2022
We are now in the winter season of Takurua which is the perfect time to learn mātauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) to extend skills and make use of those materials prepared over summer. Matthew McIntyre-Wilson (Taranaki, Nga Mahanga and Titahi) is turning the gallery into his studio and creating new artwork on site.
Matthew has unpacked his experiments called tauira, a term often given to a learner but in this case they are feathered samples to learn from. The objective now is to apply these learned techniques to create new works. The artist will not only be making in the gallery but dashing off to local museums for research.
Working across the disciplines of jewellery, craft, and object-making, Matthew re-articulates the forms, patterns and practice of raranga whakairo (plaiting) with precious metals. His projects most often are designed to reconnect with the unknown maker of taonga Māori held in Museums collections. Matthew re-examines past customary techniques and takes these forward.
This exhibition is supported by Te Puni Kōkiri.
Image courtesy of the artist.
Philip Trusttum: What Are You Doing!
14 April – 19 June 2022
Everyday life experiences find their way into Philip Trusttum’s paintings often worked into semi abstract form. Trusttum’s works are large-scale and energetic, on unstretched canvas. His subject matter has ranged from landscapes to tennis, gardening to horses to Japanese masks and portraits. With 50+ years of art experience behind his current works Trusttum has an exemplary practice that makes a huge contribution to the cultural life of communities in Canterbury and Oxford Gallery in particular.
Image: Way To Go, Philip Trusttum. Acrylic on canvas.
Summer Show #7: A Sense of Wellbeing
2 December – 30 January 2021
A group exhibition including artworks by Kevin Bull, Miranda Brown, Jann Collins, Sue Currie, Jo Ogier, Marilyn Rea-Menzies, Adrienne Rewi, Paul Smith, Soon-Lee Spicer, Charrette van Eekelen, Kris Waldin and others.
Open House Printmakers : New Work
Kathy Anderson, Jo Ernsten, Casey Macaulay, Ruth Stanton-Mcleod, Kris Waldin, Tessa Warburton & Celia Wilson
7-24 October 2021
Pottery Project 2021
Interested to learn about ceramics? Please let us know.
Our kiln gifted by Oxford Area School is now housed in a new kiln shed funded by Rata Foundation. Artist Ruth Stanton-McLeod is assisting us to develop the facility and a ceramics program.
Ceramic images courtesy of Ruth Stanton Mcleod
Oxford Papermakers:
Waiaraki Eyre River Project
Alison Fleetwood, Katie Hallam, June Inch, Casey Macaulay, Elaine Steenhart, Tessa Warburton and Celia Wilson
4-28 November 2021
This project explores the contrasting beauty of Waiaraki Eyre River and our human impact on its ecosystem, via the medium of handmade paper.
Oxford Papermakers meet regularly to make paper from scratch, with new and recycled materials. They use tried-and-tested fibres such as Harakeke and embark on experiments like the ones displayed in this project; the invasive plants found on the local riverbed.
The exhibition includes painting, sculpture, handmade books, printmaking, photography and documentation.
An exhibition of work by artists of Christchurch Men’s, Christchurch Women’s and Rolleston Prisons
19 August – 31 October 2021
Artists were encouraged to use the mediums available to them; some were limited to paper and pen and others extended to paint, metal, carvings, wool and other materials. The resulting collection of over 50 art pieces is bold, strong, bright and meaningful.
Proceeds from the sale of artworks were donated to the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust.
Nigel Borell: Haumanu Hauora
Artist in Residence at Arts in Oxford
24 June – 15 August 2021
Nigel Borell (Pirirakau, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Te Whakatōhea) explores ideas about the land, people and cosmological ties to both through an evolving painting installation. Haumanu Hauora is an expression that speaks to health and wellbeing.
Folio : Oxford Area School
6 May – 20 June 2021
An exhibition of Oxford Area School, NCEA Art portfolios by students achieving Excellence.
Henry Turner Heaven Drawings
18 March – 2 May 2021
Drawing from the classics of philosophy and mythology, art history and local content Canterbury artist Henry Turner creates his own symbols of heaven and enlightenment. Painted works with evocative iconography respond to these knowledge systems mixed with his own experiences of the world.
Life of Ron :
Photographs from the 60’s & 70’s
by Ron Hazlehurst
28 January 2021 – 14 March 2021
Personal encounters with Christchurch townscape, environs and it’s denizens.
Summer Show #6, Community of Creatives
13 November 2020 – 24 January 2021
A group exhibition celebrating our community of creatives. Awhi mai, awhi atu, tatou, tatou e. We all help one another.
Philip Trusttum, what have we got here
18 September – 8 November 2020
Arts in Oxford Gallery celebrates the dynamic practice of artist Philip Trusttum nationally recognised for his figurative and expressionist practice. His works are usually large-scale and energetic, on unstretched canvas. Philip Trusttum is the patron of Arts in Oxford.
Trusttum’s work has largely been inspired by everyday life experiences often worked into a semi-abstract form. His subject matter has ranged from landscapes to tennis, gardening to horses to Japanese masks and portraits. In 1984, Trusttum participated in ANZART at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, following that, the same year, with an exhibition in New York that gained a review in the NY Times. He has shown in Edinburgh, New York, Hobart and Sydney, in all of New Zealand’s main centres and many smaller ones as well. In 2000 he became only the second New Zealand artist to be awarded the prestigious Pollock Krasner Foundation grant. Trusttum currently lives in a tin shed in central Christchurch, painting in a second one that was erected after the 2011 earthquake destroyed his earlier, elegant home on the same site.
Open House – Artist in Residence Project
10 July – 13 September 2020
Open House starts with an evolving print studio in action with local printmakers to promote contemporary ideas about creativity and community arts. Visit us and see prints in progress, guest artists at work. Part installation, part exhibition, part demonstration – the works produced and displayed will evolve as the project grows.
Vantage Point
21 March – 3 May 2020
A group show featuring five Christchurch based artists all with very singular and distinctive approaches.
Rebecca Harris, Marie Le Lievre, Michael Springer, Martin Whitworth and David Woodings.
Vantage Point being both a high place providing a good clear outlook and a particular point of view.
Marilyn Rea-Menzies: Extinction is Forever
1 February – 15 March 2020
A mixed media exhibition featuring NZ’s endangered birds with tapestries, paintings, drawings and digital works.
Soul Sistas: Nine Māori Women Artists
15 June – 21 July 2019
Arts in Oxford celebrates Matariki the Māori New Year with an exhibition of customary and contemporary art forms such as raranga weaving, painting and object. This multi-media exhibition draws on the aho sacred threads of whānaungatanga kinship, auahatanga creativity, whakapapa genealogical concepts and mātauranga Māori knowledge, the nine artists share and work with.
Featured Artists: Paula Rigby, Piri Cowie, Rahera Clark, Madia Purvis-Manihera, Lisa Aumua, Corabelle Summerstom, Lisa Harding, Kim Rigby and Helena Rollo.
Locality
9 June – 10 July 2018
A group exhibition exploring location, materiality and positioning.
Featuring artists Mark Adams, Tony Bond, Cheryl Lucas, Mike Boot, Elfi Spiewack, Tessa Warburton and Celia Wilson.