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Ralph Hotere: Zero to Infinity9 July 2011 – 18 February 2012, Hocken GalleryThis show highlights milestones and lesser known moments in the prodigious career of Ralph Hotere, New Zealand's most significant living artist. The exhibition's title references both Hotere's Zero series of 1966-7 and the infinity symbol, which is a recurring motif visible in his work as recently as 2005. The concepts of zero and infinity, which alternately refer to nothing and boundlessness or eternity, are manifest through a series of visual signs that appear in Hotere's work including the colour black, the circle and the window frame. Hotere's minimalist abstraction is often accompanied by expressive elements that infuse his art with tender emotions and anchor individual works to personal experiences or current events. The death of particular individuals, the threat of environmental catastrophes and his long-standing friendships with eminent New Zealand poets such as Bill Manhire, have been catalysts for some of his most powerful art. Hotere's works expose human frailty while revelling in the immensity of life and positing a time without end. This exhibition has been mounted to commemorate Hotere's eightieth birthday. Ralph Hotere, Zero Beginning, 1966-67, acrylic on canvas with plastic strip, 1390 x 700mm, Private Collection. 
Last revised: 30 September, 2011 |