Artist widens horizons

 

Langs Beach artist Suza Schiele has been holding art and culture classes in the Mangawhai Library Hall for a couple of years and is about to embark on a major step forward in taking her work to the wider community with an exhibition of recent works at the Whangarei Art Museum.

She currently occupies studio space at the old Money Factory on Whangarei’s Riverside but has ‘relocated’ temporarily while her exhibition, which opened on December 12, runs until February 19. Entitled Welcome to Cosy Cosmos, Suza invites viewers to ponder on the origin of life, the perplexities of human existence and complexities of identity.

Inspired by idiosyncratic microbiological research and the “pagan, colourful optimism of Modern Art”, Suza’s paintings and mixed media sculptures evolved from spontaneous chance creation. Exhibited together, they form a wunderkammer – a collection of curiosities - with a collection of subjective images and objects hovering between microbiology, science fiction and art history.

The exhibition includes a community collaborative project with viewers invited to contribute to the expansion of a large mural. Participants will contribute by creating spontaneous drawings and incorporate them onto a large black velcro canvas which will develop throughout the duration of the exhibition. The work aims to engage a diverse range of people including those who seldom visit a museum to come in and express themselves creatively.

n Where: Whangarei Art Museum, Dent St, Town Basin. When: Running until Feb 19, 2017. Open Daily 10-4pm. Closed Christmas Day & Boxing Day.

INVITATION: Artist Suza Schiele ponders the origin of life, existence and identity in her latest exhibition.