Treasures of the Underworld
Encyclopedia
Treasures of the Underworld was an exhibition featured in the New Zealand
pavilion of Seville Expo '92
.
The exhibition featured 48 works comprising a total of 399 individual pieces. It was extremely successful with over half a million visitors to New Zealand's Pavilion and the interest the works generated came as a surprise. Ian Fraser
the Commissioner at the NZ Expo said
The exhibition was curated by the art curator James Mack and featured commissions completed by New Zealand's top practitioners of object art in glass and clay at that time. The artists who contributed works included:
The theme of the commissions was the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's first voyage to America. This emphasis on voyage and discovery influenced the artists to explore the connections with New Zealand and the familiar world of the South Pacific. James Mack urged each artist to stretch both materials and technique beyond eurocentric influences. The work produced for this exhibition has and continues to influence the development of object art in New Zealand.
After a personal request from Queen Beatrice of Holland, the exhibition toured to Die Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, Holland, before returning to New Zealand for a nationwide tour.
After the tours were complete the artworks were accessioned into the permanent collection of the New Zealand National Art Gallery - now the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
pavilion of Seville Expo '92
Seville Expo '92
The Universal Exposition of Seville took place from Monday, April 20 to Monday, October 12, 1992 on La Isla de La Cartuja , Seville, Spain. The theme for the Expo was "The Age of Discovery" and over 100 countries were represented...
.
The exhibition featured 48 works comprising a total of 399 individual pieces. It was extremely successful with over half a million visitors to New Zealand's Pavilion and the interest the works generated came as a surprise. Ian Fraser
Ian Fraser
Ian Fraser may refer to:* Ian Fraser , New Zealand television interviewer and executive* Ian Fraser , Australian naturalist...
the Commissioner at the NZ Expo said
We were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of the response....
The exhibition was curated by the art curator James Mack and featured commissions completed by New Zealand's top practitioners of object art in glass and clay at that time. The artists who contributed works included:
- Len CastleLen CastleLeonard Ramsay "Len" Castle, DCNZM, CBE was a renowned New Zealand potter.Born in Auckland in 1924, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in 1946 from University of Auckland and trained as a secondary school teacher, eventually taking a lecturing position at the Auckland College of Education...
- Ann Robinson
- Steve Fullmer
- Ann VerdcourtAnn VerdcourtAnn Verdcourt is a New Zealand artist. She creates object art with clay.Verdcourt was born in Bedfordshire, England, and immigrated to New Zealand with her husband in 1965. Verdcourt has been working with clay since the 1950s. Her work references many other artists and art movements, drawing from...
- Darryl Robertson
- Christine Boswijk
- Richard Parker
- Barry Brickell
- Paerau Corneal
- Brian Gartside
- Julia van Helden
- Christine Hellyar
- Chester Nealie
- Robyn Stewart
The theme of the commissions was the celebration of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's first voyage to America. This emphasis on voyage and discovery influenced the artists to explore the connections with New Zealand and the familiar world of the South Pacific. James Mack urged each artist to stretch both materials and technique beyond eurocentric influences. The work produced for this exhibition has and continues to influence the development of object art in New Zealand.
After a personal request from Queen Beatrice of Holland, the exhibition toured to Die Nieuwe Kerk, Amsterdam, Holland, before returning to New Zealand for a nationwide tour.
After the tours were complete the artworks were accessioned into the permanent collection of the New Zealand National Art Gallery - now the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa is the national museum and art gallery of New Zealand, located in Wellington. It is branded and commonly known as Te Papa and Our Place; "Te Papa Tongarewa" is broadly translatable as "the place of treasures of this land".The museum's principles...
.
External links
- Treasures of the Underworld artworks in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
- Interview with Barry Brickell (part 1 of 2) for the Cultural Icons project. Audio and video.