Eastern Courier: Artwork gives contemporary touch to old church

Eastern Courier: Artwork gives contemporary touch to old church by Meghan Lawrence

Alvin Xiong's luminous blue tubes rest high in the ceiling, weaving between beams and theatrical rigging.

His art installation is one of many in Uxbridge Creative Centre's newest exhibition Reaching the Horizon and Beyond.

The East Auckland artist took his inspiration from the title of the exhibition and the architecture of the gallery.

Alvin Xiong stands below his art installation Reaching the Horizon and Beyond.

"Because the Malcolm Smith Gallery used to be a church, the set up is quite special and has its own character," he says.

"I had to think about how I can use my light work to respond to these special qualities."

Xiong is a Master of Fine Arts student at Elam School of Fine Arts and has been using light as a medium for about four years.

His most recent work aims to create a special atmosphere and give the viewer an immersive experience.

"This installation is three dimensional and the viewer needs to raise their head to see and feel the light," he says.

The 27-year-old moved here from China after training at Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts.

Relocating was a chance to explore contemporary practices, he says.

In the last two years alone Xiong has been a finalist in eight different awards, including the Uxbridge Estuary Art Awards.

Visual arts manager and curator Balamohan Shingade says Reaching the Horizon and Beyond is one of the last exhibitions to be held in the Malcolm Smith Gallery, with Uxbridge undergoing redevelopment.

He says artists were chosen based on their ability to exploit and explore the space.

"The most important thing for me was responding to the fact we are going through redevelopments and that there is an underlying sense of change," he says.

The show spans across two locations, with a second set up at Ponsonby's Studio One Toi Tu.

Shingade says the two sites were chosen because of the unique changes they have been through.

"What we are trying to do is link the ambitions of the two centres and highlight the fact we are trying to respond to the potential of our communities," he says.

Reaching the Horizon and Beyond, an exhibition curated by Philip Tse, will be on show from August 5 to September 5.

Go to uxbridge.org.nz for more information.

 - Stuff

Link: http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/eastern-courier/71049896/artwork-gives-contemporary-touch-to-old-church

Group Show: Uxbridge (Malcolm Smith Gallery) - Reaching The Horizon And Beyond

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.” – Lao Tzu

Studio One Toi Tū occupies what was once a police station at the edge of the city, and Uxbridge, a Presbyterian Church in the eastern suburbs of Auckland. Today, both offer a new place for community as centres for arts and culture in metropolitan Auckland. Philip Tse’s two satellite exhibitions bring together a collection of artists whose works respond to our changeable world and the elusive horizon. Presented in collaboration with Studio One Toi Tū: 
https://www.facebook.com/events/897577633649841/

ON SHOW
5 August – 5 September 2015


EXHIBITION OPENING
Tuesday 4 August, 6pm – free

Join us for a Curator's Talk with Artists as part of the Exhibition Opening

 

ADDRESS: 

35 Uxbridge Rd, Mellons Bay, Auckland


PUBLIC PROGRAMMES
Thursday 3 September, 8pm – $8
In celebration of Tonga Language Week, Uxbridge Cinema presents Tongan Ark. Join us for a Director's Talk and Q&A with Paul Janman alongside the cinema screening.Call (09) 535 6467 for bookings, or click here for more details:
[Link]

Featuring artworks by Alvin Xiong, Andre Sampson, Dasul Lee, Deborah Crowe, Diane Scott, Emma Langridge, George Grim, Hanna Shim, Jamie Chapman, John Hodgson, Kingsley Melhuish, Miyoko McGregor Yamashita, Nim Flora Chan, Paul Janman with Richard von Sturmer and Ian Powell, Philip Tse, Rozana Lee, Shahenda Soliman, Shruti Yatri, Wai Kit Lam

 

Group show: Studio One (TOI TŪ) - Reaching the Horizon and Beyond

“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like” – Lao Tzu

Studio One Toi Tū occupies what was once a police station at the edge of the city, and Uxbridge, a Presbyterian Church in the eastern suburbs of Auckland. Today, both offer a new place for community as centres for arts and culture in metropolitan Auckland. Philip Tse’s two satellite exhibitions bring together a collection of artists whose works respond to our changeable world and the elusive horizon. In collaboration with Uxbridge Creative Centre (10 August – 5 September).

Featuring work by Alvin Xiong, Andre Sampson, Dasul Lee, Deborah Crowe, Diane Scott, Emma Langridge, George Grim, Hanna Shim, Jamie Chapman, John Hodgson, Kingsley Melhugish, Miyoko Yamashita McGregor, Nim Flora Chan, Paul Janman, Richard von Sturmer, Ian Powell, Philip Tse, Rozana Lee, Shahenda Soliman, Shruti Ytari and Wai Kit Lam.

Exhibition Opening: WEDNESDAY 29 JULY, 5 - 7PM
Address: 1 Ponsonby Rd, Greg Lynn, Auckland 1011


On Show: 30 JUL - 20 AUG
In Gallery: ONE, THREE AND FOUR

 

Exhibition: The Feeling Memento in Vero Centre on 12th March 2015

Hi my friends,

I would warmly invite you to see my new light works in my exhibition 'The Feeling Memento' in one of the landmark buildings Vero Centre in Auckland CBD.

More details about the exhibition as followed:

Venue: Vero Centre lobby, Auckland CBD

Exhibition Dates: 12th March - 12th April, 2015

Beijing Blue, Light Emitting Diodes, Plexiglass, Vinyl, 900mm‍ square, 2015

Beijing Blue, Light Emitting Diodes, Plexiglass, Vinyl, 900mm‍ square, 2015

Statement:

These new works are inspired by a true love story. All these artworks will be completed by time, maybe in ten days, ten months or ten years … 

The Feeling Memento

Love is always so great to remember, especially we fall in love and become one. Like Tagore said ‘Let life be beautiful like summer flowers and death like autumn leaves.’ That happy feeling of being in love is so beautiful, like the opened flower, but when the love is lost and gone suddenly without any notice, the love feeling becomes like the withered flower. Without water, without light, without fertiliser, it becomes weak and lifeless. You start trying to forget and escape the feeling of love lost and you question everything that was in your love story,
What? How? Why?... 

I use the LED strip to represent my feelings about the love story, the curve is for emphasising the emotion as I agree with Mondrian who said that ‘curves are so emotional’. 
When the LED strip is shinning and alive, it means that I still have that feeling of the legacy of love in my mind. Little by little, one day, the light will not shine. It means the feeling of this love story is gone, but at the same time, the piece of artwork is complete, it becomes my love feeling memento. The artwork has its new life and a new form forever.

Musicians can use their songs and albums to express the feelings in their heart. The feelings can be happy, excited, sad, angry, disappointed, etc. As an artist, I don’t want to talk about any great theory or involve any crazy idea in this exhibition. I just want to be ‘naked’ and show all the viewers a true artist heart. Also, all the viewers are my listeners, I hope you can enjoy my visual album, even if it tastes a little bit bitter and sad, but it is made in the particular period from a humble artists heart.

 

Regards,

Alvin Xiong

Finalist in Estuary Art Awards 2015

Hi my friends,

My work 'changing...' has been selected as one of the finalist in the Estuary Art Awards 2015. The work will show in Uxbridge Arts Centre and Fo Guan Shan Temple. 

Please see the exhibition details as below.

Exhibition at Uxbridge Arts Centre:

Address: 35 Uxbridge Road, Howick, Auckland

Opening of exhibition and prize-giving: 6:30pm 12 March

Duration of exhibition: 13 March – 24 April

Gallery hours: Weekdays 9am – 4pm & Saturday 9:30am – 2pm

Exhibition at Fo Guang Shan Temple:

Address: 16 Stancombe Road, Flatbush, Auckland

Opening and prize-giving of people’s choice award  1pm 3 May

Duration of the exhibition: 4 May - TBC

lease come to join the opening and see my work there! 

 

cheers,

Alvin

 

 

Finalist in First Impression II Exhibition 2015

Hi my friends,

My printmaking work 'Behind the Hazel light' has been selected to be one of the finalist in the First Impression II exhibition in Mairangi Art Centre. Please come and see my work in the opening. :) 

Please see the exhibition details as below:

First Impressions II

Opening Mar 4 , 6pm

Mar 4 - Mar 28

Mairangi Arts Centre
20 Hastings Rd, Mairangi Bay 0630

Phone: (09) 478-2237
Email: michelle@mairangiarts.co.nz

Centre Hours: Mon-Fri: 9.30am-4pm, 
Sat: 10am-2pm & Sun: 10am-2pm

Our national printmaking exhibition will feature at MAC for the second time. It will be a selected exhibition with the premier award winner receiving a package of: $1000 professional A4 Etching Press from the prestigious RGM manufacturer in Italy sponsored by The French Art ShopThe press comes with blankets, a Zinc plate ,a copper plate, and a selection of tools, $1000 cash prize (Mairangi Arts Centre) and one night's accommodation and  an exhibition at 'Art at Wharepuke' in Northland. The second prize winner a $250 product voucher from Factory Frames and People's Choice Award winner $200 product voucher from Gordon Harris the Art & Graphic Store

Members of the selection panel are:
Dr Carole Shepheard - Carole has exhibited both nationally and internationally with her work being in all major New Zealand Art collections including the Auckland Art Gallery and Te Papa Tongarewa
Mark Graver - an award winning New Zealand based artist/printmaker specialising in Acrylic Resist Etching and Video Art
Steve Lovett - Senior Lecturer at Manukau Institute of Technology
Struan Hamilton -
 2D Team Leader at Elam School of Fine Arts

Judge: Dr Carole Shepheard 

 

cheers,

Alvin

 

 

Elam Grad Show 2014

Hi my friends,

I'll present my first year MFA final artwork in Elam Grad Show 2014! My light work 'Love Romance' will be presented at Mondrian Building Level 2 (the colourful building opposite of the main fine art building). I'll be there on this Sunday! Come and have a chat if you are free. :) 

Please check the following paragraph for more information about the Elam Grad Show 2014. 

Cheers,

Alvin  

Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 November
10am until 4pm
Elam School of Fine Arts
20 Whitaker Place
5 Symonds Street (Elam B)
25a Princes Street (George Fraser Gallery)

The work exhibited across the school is presented by final year undergraduate and postgraduate students. The Elam Grad Show provides a glimpse into the future of contemporary arts practice with many of the students featured going on to enjoy stellar careers both in New Zealand and abroad. Please feel free to come tour the studios and meet our graduates. This is a major opportunity to share their most refined ideas and insights into fine art.

All are welcome and it is free to attend. Park at the City Campus carpark at the Owen G Glenn building for $6. On Sundays parking on Princes Street is free.

For more info email: nicai-marketing@auckland.ac.nz
Website: Elam School of Fine Arts

Corner Window Gallery project is on show now!

Corner Window Gallery 

curated by Rob Garrett

Address: corner on 478 K'rd, Auckland

http://www.robgarrettcfa.com/content/2013/09/18/corner-window-gallery

 

Project 019: Alvin Xiong (NZ/CN)

Light Gemini, 2014
LED lights, electrical component, custom glass, wood panel
Independent (left) 1200 x 730 x 100 mm; Freedom (right) dimensions variable
27 November 2014 – 22 January 2015

Artist’s statement:
My project uses light as a medium to create painting. It is often the case that the term ‘light painting’ indicates the use of photography to capture the light tracks in a dark space. In that situation photographic ‘light painting’ is an action which is presented on a flat surface as a two dimensional picture. I’m interested instead to experiment with a form of light painting, which can use light itself to be the painting medium and the audience can feel light itself, colouring and illuminating the surface of the gallery wall.

I use mirrors to create the shades and intensities of colour normally produced with a painting brush. The mirrors control my special paint: light. The mirrors reflect the light source and also give me the capability to create subtle variations in the way light appears; like painting. In the project at Corner, my brush strokes are the different light lines reflected on the surface. Modern materials such as mirror and transparent light filters enable me to simulate a glazing process reminiscent of old master paintings. Just as they used transparent pigmented paint, to enhance colour tone, I aim to manipulate light.

About the artist:
Alvin Xiong (b.1987) is an Auckland-based multi-discipline artist. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in oil painting from Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts in China; and he is currently completing his Master of Fine Arts at Elam School of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Xiong has received several New Zealand art awards, including the Emerging Artist Award at the NZ Art Show, Wellington (2014); the Tertiary Award in The Trust Art and Sculpture Awards, Auckland (2014); and Best Digital Artwork Category in the National Youth Art Awards, Hamilton (2013). His work is exhibited in New Zealand and China. The artist’s personal website: www.alvinxiong.com

Group show: So where's home?

Is home a place? A memory? A feeling? An emotion? Or something else? With a diverse range of practices the artists put into dialogue their sense of home, place and belonging. 

Opening: Tuesday 19 August 2014, 5.30pm

20 August - 30 August 2014
Monday - Saturday 11.00am - 4.00pm
George Fraser Gallery

Artists: 
KW Mandy CHAN
Nim Flora CHAN
Kat GU
Kevin Kumsung KIM
Minkyeong KIM
Jane LEHTINEN
Wanshi MENG
Yurie OGURA
Sena PARK
Alvin XIONG
Aya YAMASHITA

Curated by Alvin XIONG and Aya YAMASHITA

Media: Four Fine Art Students Win 2014 NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards

Click the link for further reading: http://artshow.co.nz/NZ+Art+Show+Emerging+Artist+Award+Winners+2014

Wednesday, 02 July, 2014

Media

Four Fine Art Students Win 2014 NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards

The NZ Art Show today announced the recipients of this year’s NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards. The four $2,500 awards, which are open to students studying towards a visual arts degree or diploma, attracted 42 applicants. Students are nominated by their tutors and the Art Show’s selection panel is tasked with choosing the four winners.

 

Path Finder (detail), lino cut print by Alice King

This year’s Award winners are: Alice King and Alvin Xiong, from Auckland University’s Elam School of Fine Arts; Willough McFarlane, Massey University’s College of Creative Arts, Wellington; and Cobi Taylor from the Dunedin School of Art at Otago University.

Two further students, Zoe Knighton from Wellington’s The Learning Connexion, and Christina Pataialii from Auckland’s Whitecliffe College of Art and Design, have won recognition as finalists. They will join the four winners in having their artworks exhibited in a dedicated gallery at this year’s NZ Art Show.

Established in 2012, the NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards aim to recognise and encourage emerging artists studying at established art courses in New Zealand. These awards are made possible through the generous patronage of Richard Nelson a trustee of the NZ Art Show and the awards official sponsor.

Mal Brow, NZ Art Show selection panel member and owner of Wellington’s 30 Upstairs gallery said, “The quality of the art submitted for this year’s Awards was very strong, making it harder to decide which six artists would get to exhibit at the Show. In the end, it’s great to see the diversity of art schools selected, with an interesting cross-section of media.

“What’s particularly pleasing is to see the work improving each year, growing stronger as the selection panel endeavour to encourage more trained artists and art school graduates approaching the NZ Art Show by way of the Emerging Artist Awards.

The four artists who have won this year’s Emerging Artist Awards represent a range of media including: sculptural light artworks; printmaking; large scale mixed media artworks; and film based artworks that draw upon digital photography, watercolour, drawing and computer generated imagery.


Alice King from the Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University is a printmaker in her fourth and final year of studying for a Fine Art degree. Her precision and the abstract expressive nature of her work and mastery of her media impressed the selection panel.


Cobi Taylor from Dunedin is a student at the School of Art at Otago University. Cobi’s mixed media Palpitations paintings are fashioned from a drawing of a photograph of disaster, using her recent experience of the Christchurch earthquakes as subject matter. Using a reduced colour palette, these large scale artworks make a considerable impact and command attention.

 

 Lullaby by Alvin Xiong

Alvin Xiong’s sculptural light work ranges from smaller works that can be mounted on a wall similar to a painting through to larger wall based light installations that create a ‘light fresco’. In Alvin’s work, light itself becomes a new painting medium that creates a moving illusion forming a point of difference from traditional painting where artists use pigmented paints to create their images.


Wellington artist Willough MacFarlane is in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Design with Honours majoring in Photography at Massey University of Wellington. Her photographic works are both aesthetically and conceptually strong within a contemporary context.

The two highly commended artists, Zoe Knighton from Wellington and Auckland-based Christina Pataialii impressed the selection panel and consequently have been invited to exhibit their work at this year’s Show.

 

Plimmerton artist Zoe Knighton is a Diploma Honours student at Lower Hutt’s Learning Connexion. Her unsettling and unique portraits are created in oils applied with a palette brush. This work surprises by presenting orthodox standing figure painted horizontally, rather than the expected vertical, with other works focusing attention on a part of the body that traditional portraiture does not typically emphasise.


Christina Pataialii from Auckland’s Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design work investigates issues such as Polynesian immigration in New Zealand post WWII up until the 1970’s. She is interested in the imagery of domestic settings, the work environment and cultural assimilation. Pacifica women feature predominantly in artworks on wood using oil, acrylic, printing ink and pencil. She has won critical acclaim and her work has featured in several recent Auckland exhibitions.

 

You can see more images here 

Carla Russell, the NZ Art Show’s executive director said, “The quality of the work entered this year is a credit to both the art students and their art schools. The New Zealand art scene is certainly in good hands and has an assured future based on our experience. Congratulations to our Award winners and all those who were nominated and sought selection for a 2014 Emerging Artist Award.

As in previous years, the Show is being held in the TSB Bank Arena on Wellington’s waterfront over three days. The Show opens with a Gala Evening on Thursday, 24 July, with open days from Friday, 25 July to Sunday, 27 July 2013.

The Art Show is open to the public by general admission. The art displayed is constantly changing so there is always something different to see. Tickets cost $10 each, concessions $7, with children 12 years and under free. Tickets can be purchased online at http://artshow.co.nz/buy+tickets until July 17. Door sales are also available.

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One of the recipients in NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards 2014

Hi all

Thank you so much for your applications to be considered for the NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards.

Our selection panel really had their work cut out for them and many a debate took place.

It really is encouraging to see so much exciting and fresh talent being produced from NZ's leading art schools.

SO, yes - the selection panel have made their final decisions:

The recipients of the 2014 NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards are:
 

  1. Cobi Taylor from Dunedin School of Art at Otago Polytechnic
  2. Willough McFarlane from College of Creative Arts, Massey University, Wellington
  3. Alice King from Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University
  4. Alvin Xiong from Elam School of FIne Arts, Auckland University

The selection panel would also like to recognise the following two artists and have invited them to exhibit their work alongside the recipients

  1. Zoe Knighton from the Learning Connexion
  2. Christina Pataialii from Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design- Auckland

Congratulations!!  We are looking forward to showcasing your work at the NZ Art Show in Wellington 25 - 27 July.

A media release is currently being prepared and will be emailed to you once completed.

Information about the NZ Art Show awards programme can be found by clicking  HERE

------

I'm very happy to know that I'm one of the recipients of this year Emerging Artist Awards in NZ Art Show!

My two new light works will show in the NZ Art Show in Wellington 25 - 27July! Welcome to visit the show! See you then.

Cheers,

Alvin

A collaborative performance in the Basement Theatre

Monster Valley is proud to announce the MONSTER VALLEY EXPERIMENT. Featuring 5 nights of a variety of creative practitioners exploring art, light, sound and visual installations, live bands, poets, MC's, DJs, live painting and creative talks washed down with a few cold beers.
 

The Basement Theatre

address: lower Greys Avenue,  Auckland, New Zealand 1010


Line up so far includes:
Tom Furniss
Pop-Up Arcade
Vanguard One
Helen Foy
Sophie Follett
Vivian Aue
Chloe Baynes
Dubtext
Alex Scott
Si Omer
Avalon Hewitt
INK MESS
Tessa Monash 
Philip Tse 
(collaborative)
Alvin Xiong (collaborative)
Black Science
Indo-western fusion band - Raag Time
Manjit Singh
Zac Blair - DJ Jimmy Olsen
The Revolution - 1966 Vinyl Sessions
Dregs - A New Zealand Street Art Documentary
Laura Forest
Karl Sheridan
Robin Gee
Bhavesh Bhuthadia - #scribbleAKL
Margaret Lewis - The Street Loves Nana
3D Screening of Creature from the Black Lagoon

$10 Door per night or $30 for a 5 day pass. 
6.00pm till late every night.
Tuesday 20th until Saturday 24th May 2014