Chris Partington Artist

Gallery

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The selection of works on this page are those which do not fit into my more common subjects which are Time or reflections on the New Zealand Landscape. These works are full of symbolism and are pure constructions using components from the environment around us to explore myths and everyday concerns. Work can be viewed at Tawhai Studio, Stokes Valley by appointment.

Dynamic Earth
Acrylic on board 800mm x 407mm
Collection of the artist

 

 

Dying Light
Acrylic on Canvas
1520mm x 505mm
Collection of the artist

 

 

End of Summer
Acrylic on Canvas 1120mm x 400mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kereru
Acrylic on canvas 505mm x 760mm
Private collection

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Focus
Acrylic on board 200mm x 200mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Focus Away
Acrylic on board 240mm x 174mm
Kiwi Art House

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Defeated
Acrylic on canvas 605mm x 1010mm
Private collection

The Defeated was a difficult painting for me to complete as the original theme becomemore complex as the painting progressed. The work is full of symbolism and is not a New Zealand landscape as such but is closer to a still life using a marine landscape as a background. If you compare my female figure representing "Time" with the size of the wave in the background you would realise that if you were in the scene you should be running. The wave represents nature, the victor. The old damaged fishing floats, two generations, metal and plastic, mans technology defeated when misused or natures forces under estimated. Washed up dead trees with seaweed fluttering from them in the wind, battle flags. The rainbows in the waves natures colours. If you walk the shoreline at high tide mark, then you will almost certainly come across a plastic disposable lighter. During the painting of The Defeated I learned that a relative was dying of lung cancer so I included the disposable lighter, which to me was significant because lung cancer can result from going against nature by smoking. We have now learned and progressed and now the smoking habit is being defeated. One day these plastic lighters will disappear from our shoreline and become just an archeological curiosity.

 

 

Autumn
Acrylic on canvas 605mm x 1010mm
Private collection

 

Autumn is based on an ancient belief that butterflies were like flowers, which emerged from the ground in spring and returned to the ground in Autumn. The setting selected was a typical east coast river bed, the willows displaying the autumn colours. The butterflies are congregating, some showing wear to their wings from the summers activities, one hung up on a spiders web, representing those who did not return. An impression of one of the butterflies like a fossil can be seen in the rock indicating their destination.

 

Refugee
Acrylic on canvas 605mm x 505mm
Private collection

The Refugee originated from an uneasy feeling concerning the treatment of Algerian refugee Ahmed Zaoui but could represent any vulnerable refugee. A typical bush stream setting was used as a backdrop, with a flower set in the dark and sinister landscape. The flower is an escaped exotic which can be found growing in the Tararua forest streams, constantly in danger of being swept away by flood. The isolation of this flower indicates the period Ahmed Zaoui spent in prison and the small rocky island represents a later period when he was looked after by the Christian church's Dominican friars. Beneath the water the small rocky island can be seen to be linked to the other larger institutions which do not act against the individual directly but channel forces such as racism and bigotry the way rocks would channel flood water to sweep anything away in its path.

 

 

Meditation
Acrylic on canvas 550mm x 835mm

 

A single leaf falling, frozen in time. It is impossible to visit the past and the future does not exist, we only have the moment. A memory is like a painting it is not real it is an illusion.

 

The Reserve
Acrylic on canvas 760mm x 505mm

Collection of the artist

The reserve originated from my annoyance at the local council not protecting our bush reserve. The council has not replaced native trees as they died but planted exotic trees and not provided a buffer zone such as flax or other native bird food producing plants on the edge of the reserve. The painting illustrates an alternative plan for isolating the bush reserve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contemplation
Watercolour on paper 600mm x 790mm

 

 

 

 

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All images © Copyright Chris Partington