Architecture for the Nation: New Artists Show 2008

Richard Frater
Rangituhia Hollis
Ash Kilmartin
Simon Lawrence
Alexandra Savtchenko
Tuafale Tanoai (Linda T.)

Artspace is pleased to announce Architecture for the Nation, the new artists exhibition for 2008. Six artists were invited to develop new work as part of the cutting edge exhibition programme at Artspace. This exhibition highlighted new and vital art practices and aimed to reflect the momentum of contemporary art in New Zealand. The new artists exhibition has become an annual event that offers a space for experimentation for some of our best and brightest.

The new artists exhibition was also the first opportunity for the 2008 Curatorial Intern Kate Brettkelly-Chalmers to co-curate an exhibition with Artspace Director, Brian Butler. Architecture for the Nation takes as a starting point the way these artists challenge boundaries and systems of ordering. Both a broad conception of architecture and the notion of the nation state are inherently artificial systems that order our lives.

“What interests me is the astute and perceptive way in which these artists negotiate the paths and positions of what is considered contemporary. This show offers an exciting snapshot of art practices in this moment in time,” says Kate Brettkelly-Chalmers.

In keeping with the concept of the exhibition, emerging graphic designers Tiga Seagar and Sarah Gladwell designed an online catalogue which was launched at the exhibition opening.
Six new New Zealand writers; Martyn Reynolds, Kai Korero, Sam Rountree-Williams, John Ward-Knox, Robert Hood and Anna-Marie White contributed to the online catalogue.