Art in the City is a series of travelling art exhibitions that has been put together as part of the Lopdell House Gallery Outreach Programme.
The project was initiated as a direct response to the issue that many high school art teachers have expressed concerning the difficulty for students to attend exhibitions and city events.
Although many art works are available to students through reproduction it is important for students to view art first hand and to be able to examine the processes that artists use. The Art in the City exhibitions have been curated by Lopdell House Gallery Director/Curator Kate Darrow. Each exhibition explores a theme focusing on a distinct medium. Prominent New Zealand artists have been invited to take part in the exhibitions. The exhibition categories are - painting, photography and drawing, each exhibition consists of six works, a specially designed travelling box, signage and an online catalogue.
It was decided to produce an online digital publication to accompany the exhibitions in order to provide greater access to the exhibition for students throughout New Zealand and beyond. This means of communication also ensures that the information is presented in a medium that high school students are inspired to use.
Each catalogue consists of an examination of the exhibition theme and the artists work and reproductions of their work. These publications will benefit both students from the schools that have experienced the exhibitions, as well as students from outside the Waitakere Region. It is anticipated that these online catalogues will also be of interest to wider art audiences.
Damian Skinner who was commissioned to write the catalogue texts recently graduated with a Masters degree in Art History from Auckland University and is currently working in the Art History Department of Victoria University.
This project has been supported by Waitakere City Council Image and Promotion, Creative New Zealand, the Sir John Logan Campbell Residuary Estate and Latitude Production.
Opening hours The gallery is open daily from 10am - 4.30pm, except Good Friday, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day, Anzac Day morning and during exhibition installation. Admission is free thanks to the support of Waitakere City Council.