The Lost World - Sheyne Tuffery Exhibition

Uxbridge Creative Centre is thrilled to host a solo exhibition by multimedia artist Sheyne Tuffery April 29th – May 18th 2011.   

Based in Wellington, Tuffery’s exhibition The Lost World explores what New Zealand’s first wave of Polynesian seafarers initially encountered in this garden of earthly delights with its enormous wingless birds and unique reptiles.  With media ranging from relief prints, oil paintings and digital works on paper, The Lost World will cement Tuffery as a leading creative figure.

Drawing on his Samoan heritage, Tuffery’s prints and paintings frequently feature symbols and visual references of a Polynesian nature embedded in the shapes and forms occupying his compositions.  In The Lost World these forms are native New Zealand birdlife and reptiles, extinct and living, with elegant Moas sharing the landscape with oversized tuataras and penguins. 

After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts (Honours) from the Elam School of Fine Arts in 2000, Tuffery has exhibited extensively throughout New Zealand and Europe.  In the past decade he has won numerous awards, including the Martin Hughes Contemporary Pacific Art Award in 2002.  Tuffery has also received artist in residence posts in several Auckland schools, including Howick College where he will be returning to teach workshops following the exhibition.

The exhibition will open on Thursday April 28th with a talk by Sheyne Tuffery, and will run until 18th May.  Numerous fun and engaging public programmes for the whole family will be offered during the exhibition period, including a curator’s tour on Saturday 30th April and Printmaking for Kids on Saturday 14th May.  Tuffery will also be hosting a woodblock printing workshop over the weekend of 21st and 22nd May.  Public programme and workshop information can be found on their website www.uxbridge.org.nz.

For more information please contact the curator, Sophie Keyse, on (09) 535 6467 or exhibitions@uxbridge.org.nz.  Uxbridge Creative Centre is located in the heart of Howick, 30 minutes southeast of central Auckland, and is a non-profit community arts centre.