Adam Portraiture Award 2022 – Regicide
I was utterly thrilled that my work ‘Regicide’ was selected as a finalist for the NZ National Portrait Gallery’s biennial Adam Portraiture Award for 2022. It is one of 45 on show in Wellington May 26 – August 14, and part of the touring exhibition afterward. The other finalists can be seen here www.nzportraitgallery.org.nz/adam…/2022-finalists .
A little about the meaning of this work:
‘Regicide’ is a polyptych series of 9 self-portrait ‘selfies’ painted directly onto axe blades. This violent artwork, a homage to the Old Masters’ grotesque portraits, serves as critique of the vanity in our modern self-promotion culture. This custom promotes narcissism and individualism over actual substance. As every person is a “King” of their own kingdom, I too struggle with social media induced vanity and guilt. Who doesn’t?
Around the Maunga – Piet and Jan Ubels
I’m so incredibly proud to have created this public sculptural mural with my father Jan on behalf of the CRL’s Link Alliance team. ‘Around the Maunga’ is a 30m public sculptural mural depicting a range of stories, people and places from Maungawhau/Mt Eden. Many well-known figures are referenced in the work, while others are unsung to the general public. While most of the public will know who Mike Moore was, the same cannot be said about others. This will hopefully encourage further research into the region.
Further, even deeper layer of references can be found throughout the piece serving as ‘easter eggs’ that honour the Mt Eden Station project as well as the Link Alliance team behind it. Families can enjoy hunting for hidden images or names related to the project
Born from the initial design reference of a stained-glass window, the mural has a visual rhythm that pulls the viewer’s eye back and forth, following along the patterns of colour and shape. The undulating movement has also been bolstered by the repeated motifs of the lava flow and whau flower, both iconic to the Maungawhau cone itself.
The tactile timber draws in the viewer to engage with the images, transforming the 2-dimensional planes into 3-dimensional images. The timber segments themselves are all salvaged timber provided by the construction site, that would’ve otherwise have been destined for the rubbish skip.
As a further level of dynamism, the bare timber will also change over time in both colour and form. While shining golden on its installation, the timber segments will silver in colour and warp in shape at different rates under the sun. This will cause the artwork to evolve over time, mirroring the evolution and progress of the construction site behind it.
Connectus art exhibition Launch
I’m proud to have my work “Add a Dash of Colour” hanging as part of the ConnectAKL exhibition put on by the CRL project team. The work is showcasing the changing landscape of Auckland and is going towards helping support the Auckland City Mission and the vital work that they do.
You are able to view the artworks until Saturday 31st October on level 3 of the T Galleria by DFS building (Customs Street East, Auckland central).
The work is for sale on TradeMe (with all the proceeds from the sale are going to the Auckland City Mission). https://www.trademe.co.nz/…/listing-2832147988.htm
Out of Left Field meet its model!
Last night I was incredibly stoked to not only have the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern herself sign her portrait, but also to have the piece sold to the legendary Noel Edmonds!
A couple of people have asked for a few extra details on the piece as the article is missing some of the explanation. The idea of a gumboot as my canvas is a way to capture Jacinda’s rural upbringing in Morrinsville and show her doing the mahi with ‘boots on the ground’, as it were. Moreover, the ‘RedBand’ branded gumboots are a kiwi icon, while nicely referencing the boot’s usage as a symbol in NZ mental health awareness (iamhope.org.nz), a subject that is has been a particular focus of her govt, and is an issue that is close to my own heart.
I chose this particular pose in order to capture her sense of hope and ‘relentless positivity, that is guiding us through the unknown future. In a way, it also then becomes an allusion to the pose struck by Obama in Fairey’s famous ‘Hope’ poster design.
The image is on the inside face of the left boot to symbolise her ‘inside running’ and her left politics. Similarly, the title ‘Out of Left Field’ also references her surprising 2017 election circumstances, as well as my own newfound painting talent.
Piet Ubels | Artist 