Reconstructions
9 February - 3 March
Academy of Fine Arts
Reconstructions is a group exhibition of work by four Christchurch-based artists
that considers the destruction or taking apart of objects, materials and the less
tangible aspects of life, and their reconstruction. It may be the recycling of
materials or found objects in new forms as works of art or a consideration of how
an individual or community renews, reinvents or revitalises itself and its sense of
well-being.
Works are by Donna Allfrey, Elizabeth Moyle, Doc Ross and Greg Yee
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Donna Allfrey
Donna Allfrey is a heritage advocate and was involved in preserving the resident area of
the Avon Loop prior to 11 February 2011 earthquake. She has since been active in the
preservation of heritage buildings such as the Christchurch Cathedral, Provincial Council
Chambers and Arts Centre of Christchurch. The works in Reconstructions are
constructed from original slate tiles from the Christchurch Cathedral removed prior to 22
February 2011 to be replaced by new tiles. Images etched into the slate reference a
heritage building in the city in need of restoration reconstruction. Donna has exhibited
regularly over the last 12 years and has twice been a finalist in the World of Wearable
Arts.
Elizabeth Moyle
Elizabeth Moyle graduated from the CPIT School of Art and Design with a Bachelor of
Visual Arts in printmaking in 2007 and with first class Honours from the University of
Canterbury, School of Fine Arts in 2011. Her early work considered animal sentience
and animal/human relationships.
In the monoprints featured in Reconstructions such as Transient II ,Presence and
Transparent (2011), Moyle’s interests shift to self-portraiture. These are meditative works
as the artist considers “the temporary nature of life and the ownership of one’s self.”
Usually compelled to create figurative works,Moyle’s processes gained momentum as
she pushed towards abstraction. Moyle explains that in these prints she explores herself
“in a more abstract format”: her physical and spiritual presence, ideas, the “coming in
and out of ... [an] environment”; and graphically, “through the space on the paper” Her
work is more vibrantly coloured than it has been previously – possibly a subtle, almost
unconscious response to the upheavals of the past two years (Moyle is based in
Christchurch) as the artist struggles to make sense of the world around her and
searches for substance in unstable times. Moyle has been the recipient of a number of
awards and scholarships including The Friends of the Christchurch Art Gallery, Farina
Thompson Award in 2006, and in 2007 the Will Cumming Memorial Award, and the
Mortlock Mcormack Award. She has participated in group and solo exhibitions
throughout New Zealand.
Tertiary Education
2011 University Of Canterbury Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours
2004-2007 Christchurch Polytechnic institute of technology Bachelor of Art and Design
Awards
2011 New Zealand federation of graduate woman 2011 (University of Canterbury)
2008 Farina Thompson scholarship from the friends of the Christchurch Art Gallery for
excellence in drawing
2007 Will Cummings memorial award for overall excellence in studies
2007 Mortlock McCormack art award
Selected Exhibitions
2012 Shared Lines, Picnica gallery, group show, Sendi, Japan
2011 Select, group show, SOFA, Christchurch
2011 ArtEvent, in association with Christchurch Art Gallery at Chambers Gallery,
Christchurch
2011 Pakiwhaitara – Stories to Tell, group show, The National University of Mexico in
the National School of Plastic Arts, Mexico City
2011 Pakiwhaitara – Stories to Tell, group show, RAMP Gallery, Hamilton
2011 Self, group show, SOFA, Christchurch
2011 Assemble, group show, Little River gallery, Little River, Banks Peninsula,
2010 Mortlock McCormack Law Award Retrospective, group show, CoCA, Christchurch
2010 Hold, solo show, NG gallery, Christchurch
2010 Young collectors, group show, the Arthouse, Christchurch
2009 Deck the halls, group show Solander Works on paper Wellington
2009 Appropriation, Solo show, open gallery, CoCA, Christchurch
2009 Christchurch Arts Festival, public installation, Christchurch
2008 Christmas Auction, The High Street Project, Christchurch
2008 ArtEvent, Christchurch Art Gallery, Christchurch
2008 Preview, group touring show, CoCA and Temple Gallery Dunedin, Christchurch
2007 Unit, solo show, Quentin Frost Gallery, Christchurch
2007 Christmas Auction,The High Street Project, Christchurch
2007 Ripe, Christchurch Polytechnic end of year exhibition
2007 2x8, group show, CoCA, Christchurch
2007 Artworks, group show, The Hilton, Auckland
2007 Tell Me to My Face, The High street project, off site installation, Christchurch
2007 Spring Chickens, group show, Quentin Frost, Christchurch
2007 Preview, group show, CoCA, Christchurch
Doc Ross
Doc Ross is a Christchurch-based photographer who has lived in the city and
documented it people and environment for more than 15 years. The photographs in
Reconstructions are from a series titled 37. 37 portraits who experienced the 22
February earthquake – 37 words describing the experience and a time lapse of 37
seconds for each photograph. ‘It is impossible to say exactly how long the earth shook
for on February 22nd 2011 as it was different for us all depending where we were in the
city. However 37 seconds was a pretty good general figure according to the only reliable
source I could find that would commit to suggesting a time people might have felt the
shaking. 37 seconds doesn’t sound very long, until you start to count it out, one
thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three..... Suddenly it seems an eternity,
an eternity when time stands still but the earth heaves and shakes violently.’ Doc Ross
Born in 1955 Eketahuna New Zealand, a self-taught photographer.
1998 set up exhibition-studio space Gallery464 in Christchurch
2000 travelled to Middle East and Europe showing works at the NZ Ambassadors
residence in Tehran.
2000 Worked in collaboration with students to make works on paper based on NZ
abstract photographs at art studio Miskovic in Belgrade.
2002 travelled-photographed through China
2002-2012 photographed in Australia on regular visits.
Selected Bibliography
Portraits from a battered city, Tom Cardy, Dominion Post arts feature Dec 2012,
Philip Matthews, Doc Ross a city in transition, The Press arts feature Sept 30
2011Anthony Mckee, Working with Rangefinders, Australian Photography, August 2005
Harold Mason, Photographers Mail NZ, feature article 2004
Christopher Moore ‘Brooding authority’ The Press, Arts feature Jan 29 2003
Anthony Mckee, Alternative Vision, Australian Photography, October 2003
Henry Rasmussin ‘B&W’ black and white photography collectors magazine (USA)
Spotlight on Doc Ross Aug2001
Selected Exhibitions
2013 37 Portraits, New Zealand Portrait gallery Wellington
2012 Christchurch Public Art Gallery, Phantom City, Christchurch 1998-2011
2012 Christchurch Public Art Gallery, Reconstruction, conversations on a city
2011 Wallace art awards TSB bank Wallace Arts center, Auckland
2011 'a gathering' group show of canterbury artists, curated by Grant Banbury
2010 Milford gallery Queenstown, Royal Queenstown Easter show
2009 COCA Christchurch, One man group show
2009 Milford gallery Queenstown, Selected works group show
2008 Milford gallery Queenstown, Selected works group show
2006 COCA (Centre of Contemporary art) Christchurch NZ, South Island landscapes
2005 COCA Christchurch, Observations and digital collage’s
2005 Gallery Oceanic Queenstown, New photographs,
2004 COCA Christchurch, Being There, Large scale Seascapes
2004 Gallery Oceanic Queenstown, Here and there, now and then
2003 COCA Christchurch, New large scale works
2003 Gallery Oceanic Queenstown, New Landscapes,
2002 COCA Christchurch, Landscapes and Abstractions
2002 Gallery Oceanic Queenstown, Anatomy in Stone,
2001 Gallery Oceanic Queenstown, NZ and European landscapes and Urban
International Exhibitions
2011 Project "GLOBALIZATION-CONNECTIONS-TIME', Museo Historicas Beunos Aries
Argentina
2009 Project "GLOBALIZATION-CONNECTIONS-TIME' FNCC Franco Namibian
Cultural Centre, Namibia.
2009 Project "GLOBALIZATION-CONNECTIONS-TIME' Galerie la Decouverte, El
Nadira Rabat Morocco
2006 Anita Traverso gallery Melbourne Australia
2006 A.C.E gallery Sydney Australia
2002 Sotheby's New York USA, Contemporary Photography from Australia and New
Zealand
Selected Collections
Christchurch Public Art Gallery, Christchurch New Zealand
Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Australia
Ngai Tahu holdings, Christchurch New Zealand
The Dr Robert Slutsky Photography collection, New York USA
The WrightMann collection, Christchurch New Zealand
Musee Solomon, Texas USA
2011 Wallace art awards finalist
3 times Anthony Harper contemporary art award finalist.
The Art event, Christchurch art gallery, 2004 2006 2007 2008
Greg Yee
A second generation Chinese-New Zealander, Greg’s great-grandfather moved
to New Zealand from Taishan, China in 1920. After spending his childhood years
in an overwhelmingly Pakeha Oamaru, Greg moved to Christchurch where he
completed a Graduate Diploma in Design, majoring in sculpture, at the
Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology. In 2011 he was awarded a
Bachelor of Fine Arts with First Class Honours at the University of Canterbury.
Greg draws on his family ancestry and Chinese emigration to New Zealand with
a series of images based on original family photographs set within an identifiably
1950s New Zealand landscape. Alluding to the early history of Chinese gold
mining in New Zealand, the poll tax imposed on Chinese immigrants by the New
Zealand Government during the 19th and early 20th centuries (it was finally
repealed in 1944) and the sense of dislocation and discrimination encountered in
small town New Zealand, Greg subtracts the figures of family members from the
photographs, replacing them with 24-carat gold leaf. In doing so he effectively
removes them from the civic landscape in a literal and metaphorical allusion to
social disempowerment and disengagement.
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