Collaborative exhibition challenges perceptions of gallery space

Image: Tauranga Art Gallery Director Karl Chitham is the curator of White Rainbow at Wintec's Ramp Gallery.

A new exhibition at Wintec’s Ramp Gallery, White Rainbow is a riot of colour and texture and brings together the work of some of New Zealand’s leading artists to test new ideas and challenge the concept of gallery space.

White Rainbow is a collaboration between Tauranga Art Gallery and Ramp Gallery. Curated by Tauranga Art Gallery director Karl Chitham, it features an installation by artist Richard Maloy and paintings by Kirstin Carlin, Judy Darragh, Selina Foote, Peter Gouge, Saskia Leek, Cat Fooks and Johl Dwyer. White Rainbow is at Ramp Gallery from 23 April-23 May 2018.

Curator Karl Chitham says the installation for White Rainbow has involved temporary alterations to the gallery architecture to challenge perceptions of the usually neutral ‘white cube’ gallery space.

“Richard Maloy’s work operates in a lot of different ways, as the structure on the walls that the paintings are hung on, changes the way you view the works, encouraging the visitor to think about every step of the viewing process.

“The exciting part of working with education institution spaces like Ramp Gallery is that you are able to experiment and explore different ways of working. That’s the point of a collaboration with Ramp, it is a testing ground for new ideas.”

White Rainbow is an exploratory mission to re-frame the spatial and perceptual notions of the white cube space. Using cardboard and colour as his chosen materials, Maloy transforms this pristine environment - renegotiating typical understandings of surface, colour and flow.

Adding to this sense of disorientation, a series of works are hung within and adjacent to Maloy’s unique environment. Each of these paintings, while conforming to some of the conventions of the art form, have their own part to play in this unusual scenario. The ‘white cube’ is transformed into an explosion of colour, form and texture that allows the viewer to reinterpret and question the gallery space and the experience they have within it.

Exhibition event: #RampTalks, Wednesday 9 May, 12 – 1pm with Richard Maloy. Ramp Gallery, School of Media Arts, Wintec Collingwood Street, Hamilton.

About Ramp Gallery:
Ramp Gallery is a contemporary public art gallery, situated in the heart of Hamilton City at Wintec’s School of Media Arts. Ramp Gallery is free to attend and open to all visitors from Tuesday to Friday 12.30 – 4pm, or by appointment. Group or school bookings can be made by contacting info@rampgallery.co.nz. Sign up here to receive invitations to exhibition openings and gallery events.