Pushing Parallels is a celebration of re-learning and questioning traditional art practices. Showcasing a diverse group of multidisciplinary artists from Aotearoa, they are encouraged to experiment, pushing the limits of their mediums to create a playground of colour and form. Curated by Abbie La Rooy, Kiki Hall, and Michael Prosee, the exhibition features works from The Arts House Trust collection alongside invited artists who, although formally trained in one discipline, have ventured into new artistic territories. By embracing this shift, they challenge conventional modes of artmaking and explore innovative ways to express their ideas.

Each room within the exhibition serves as a chapter, distinctively coloured and themed, yet interconnected through the relationships between varied processes, materials and scale. These spaces reshape and re-contextualise materials in the presence of one another; offering an invitation to engage with art in unexpected ways.

This exploration of materiality and form reflects a broader trend in contemporary art, where boundaries between disciplines are increasingly blurred. The curators are interested in how these artists, both past and present, experiment with their chosen materials, leading to unexpected results that invite deeper considerations and re-present objects in a new context.

Each artist in this exhibition exemplifies a commitment to pushing the limits of their practice. For instance, 海良(hǎi liáng)/Kevin Yu, the artist behind Kevin Thorne, overlaps two fields of investigation: architecture and jewellery. His work delves into the interplay between spatial environment and human experience, exploring how people interact with their environments and how space can be expressed on the human body. Similarly, Helen Calder’s practice seamlessly blends painting and sculpture. Rather than relying on traditional painting supports, she drapes paint over metal rods, accentuating the properties of the isolated material.

Abbie, Kiki, and Michael are not only curators but also artists and art workers, deeply immersed in the daily investigation of art objects. Their experiences across various artistic settings have enriched their understanding of materials and practices, directly shaping Pushing Parallels. This exhibition is a testament to their passion for exploring how artists transcend traditional boundaries in their work.

Pushing Parallels presents a culmination of ongoing contributions in the evolving area of artistic expression. By examining the relationships between different works, the exhibition invites audiences on a journey of discovery, transforming the familiar into the unfamiliar and revealing the hidden spaces in between.

Writing by Lindsey de Roos.