HARAKEKE
HARAKEKE
24 March to 14 June 2020
24 March to 14 June 2020
- These artworks conceptually follow two previous series ‘Rau’ and ‘Haekaro.’ ‘Rau’ from the exhibition ‘Pure Forns and Cultural Narratives’ ( COCA 2O10 ) is inspired by whakario (carving) and the rau (plumage) of individual native birds which also title the individual works.
- In ‘Haekaro’ from the exhibition ‘Tanikoniko’ ( Nga Tohu o Uenuku 2017 ) the works are tukutuku influenced and based on the colours of the native plant Haekaro.* In ‘Harakeke’ the title generically covers the different types of native flax and cultivars from the mighty spceimen on the side of the road at Raungaiti Marae on State highway 27 ( whose leaves have recently been harvested ) to the multi coloured cultivars painted by British Artist and Curator Nerys Ann Johnson (1942 - 2001).
- The colour combinations taken from the Harakeke in different stages of growth and decay are selected by Adobe Capture then arranged in combinations for each artwork. The design; based on the leaf shape. *’His works on paper Haekaro 1-9 are studies of a native shrub (Pittosporum umbellatum).
- Tootill paints the colours of this species through time, as the seasons change, from bright verdant greens through to the plummy pink at the time of flowering.’ - ‘Tanikoniko’ Nga tohu o uenuku (Mangere Arts Centre) Matariki Festival 2017
KAHUKURA
KAHUKURA, BETTER BICULTURALISM
Jon Tootill 18 May to 13 June 2021
Jon Tootill 18 May to 13 June 2021
- The hero painting for Jon Tootill’s upcoming exhibition at Sanderson Contemporary is a full-spectrum colour study. Piwakawaka (2010-2020) completes a decade-long series that studies the rau, or plumage, of native birds through colour sampling. Tootill’s works act like an index, mapping colours found in nature. He selects colour using Adobe Capture, he processes those samples digitally and arranges them in combinations. Then, he creates delicate watercolours, patient studies that elicit the nuances of nature all over again. The inherent colour irregularities of these works seep into the fibres of absorbent Fabriano paper. Lastly, he scales up into meticulously painted acrylic linen. Throughout the whole process though, he says, “Titling these works indicate the origins of the colour combinations, rather than a narrative.” His works are a blend of art, technology and observational science. Tootill’s innovation is to bring to those western knowledge systems, indigenous knowledge and Māori visual culture. Tootill is a bookish artist, one who studies, who likes history and does research. In talking about his research, he reveals that, “The patterns were developed from drawings of whakairo (carving), specifically, areas that might fill-in the background, behind more dominant features.” Like a carver, “I am interested in the flow of light across a work’s surface, and the changing of colour value”. His paintings look abstract but also reflect the patterns and repetition found in Te Ao Māori, such as those in tāniko or tukutuku. Clearly too, like a botanical illustrator, they reference the observable world where Tootill is charting and cataloguing taiao or the environment. The piwakawaka is frequently understood as a messenger, living on forest edges and in scrub habitats. Tootill refers to this bird as the anchor for his fourth exhibition Kahukura with Sanderson Contemporary. In so doing, he subtly speculates that parallel, inclusive systems of knowledge are portals to take new directions, with both ancient and new knowledge creating an optimistic future.
Hanna Scott © 2021
TE TAE O TE RAUMATI/ THE COLOUR OF SUMMER
TE TAE O TE RAUMATI / THE COLOURS OF SUMMER
06 June to 02 July 2023
06 June to 02 July 2023
- Sanderson are pleased to present Te tae o te Raumati / The Colours of Summer - an exhibition of six paintings and six watercolour studies by contemporary painter Jon Tootill (Ngāi Tahu, Pākehā). Tootill has been celebrated as a master of contemporary geometric abstraction in Aotearoa[1]; the precision and lucidity of the artist’s imagery being compared with New Zealand masters Gordon Walters and Theo Schoon. This exhibition is an exciting continuation of the artist’s practice and exploration into the seasonal colours in Aotearoa’s landscape. Focussing on the colours of Raumati (summer); the show reflects the inspiration the artist finds from the hues of flora and fauna that surround him over this period. Drawing from his Maori heritage Tootill presents engaging interpretations of traditional lattice work and raranga (weaving) in his paintings, whilst in others inspiration from whakairo (carving) can be recognised. In this new body of work the artist has found inspiration from an assortment of weaving and plaiting work from different iwi. After creating several watercolour studies the artist has developed the shapes that remain present in each piece; creating optical illusions with strong elements of colour. During the 80’s and 90’s Tootill worked as an art director for Saatchi and Saatchi in Aotearoa. The artist's legacy in design and technology is undeniably tangible in his works. The artist utilises Adobe Capture software on his mobile phone to select his colour palette. Taking photos of the trees, leaves and plants that surround him the software converts these into segments of coloured rectangles, and from these coloured sections the artist selects his palette for his abstract compositions. New Zealand art historian Michael Dunn notes: ‘By searching for his roots in his Maori heritage and view of the natural world in art and life [Tootill] has found a personal space full of feeling and visual meaning.’ [1] Dunn, M. (2022, November 14). Seasoned Paintings - Recent Work by Jon Tootill. Art New Zealand, Summer 2022 (Issue 184).
