20/20 Rocks

February 4 - March 7, 2020

Group show




front gallery - installation view



front gallery - installation view

Twenty twenty is 20 years after Y2K, which was 20 years into the golden times that sprung from Reaganism, and just over 20 years after Brenda Nightingale, Nathan Pohio and Francis Upritchard graduated from the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts, Ilam. 2020 is the current year we are in.

The other day, a Harcourts real estate advertisement appeared in the local paper – “see your new career clearly in 2020” it proclaimed. Although in line with the utopian future envisioned by Reagan the advertisement also listed other potential careers, including waiter – read café worker. I doubt this was considered a career at the time these three begun their studies. The list could easily have included hotel and associated tourist industry workers without looking out of place. 20/20 in the sense of the advertisement, of seeing the future clearly, is an obvious take on the use of the term.
 


back gallery - installation view: collaborative books 1 - 7

Twenty years into their careers and one thing for sure is that all three no longer enjoy 20:20 vision. Be able to see well fades. And having vision has nothing to do with being able to see well.

George Lucas’s vision is legendary. Think a 1977 film set in space with furry animals and androids. The author has always been torn between Lucas/Herzog/Lynch – Herzog for his take on things and his voice; Lynch for his style – episode 8 of The Bomb an example. But Lucas is considered visionary. His furry animals and space scenes have been enjoyed by these three’s generation and then by the next; and now under Disney direction the vision will continue. De Niro is going to be on our screens as a younger man for many years as a result of Lucas’s visionary camera technology. On reflection, vision has its downsides. Clearly, Lucas has doubts now.

So, what to make of 20/20? Make whatever you want of it. This author thinks it’s just the current year.

Bec



Individual works


Brenda Nightingale

Untitled (Rock)       375 x 275mm Untitled (Rock)       375 x 275mm

 

Untitled (Rock)       375 x 275mm Untitled (Rock)       275 x 190mm

 

Nathan Pohio

Onawe 11       330 x 245mm Onawe 9       330 x 245mm

 

Onawe 4       330 x 245mm Onawe 3       330 x 245mm

 


Francis Uprichard

2020       170 x 120mm
 Pruned Tree III       275 x 190mm

 

Going for a kiss       100 x 100mm Where is my drink?       215 x 215mm

 


Collaborative books by the three artists (example spreads)

Book 1

 
Book 2


Book 3


Book 4


Book 5


Book 6


Book 7

Books 1 - 7 are watercolour on paper and measure  280 x 400mm open (closed 280 x 200mm)

 

 

 

 

Details of works