Real Art Road Show: a truck full of original treats for art lovers
A huge truckload of contemporary New Zealand art is wheeling its way to Golden Bay High School. The Real Art Road Show, New Zealand’s only mobile art exhibition, featuring paintings, sculptures, installations, photography and more by renowned and emerging New Zealand artists, is housed in a black truck that unfolds into a 64-square-metre art gallery.
On display are over 60 original artworks, which together form a fascinating collection of post-1945 New Zealand visual expression.
Three visionary art curators, Fiona Campbell, Rob McLeod and Gerald Barnett, are behind the idea of bringing real art to geographically isolated students who often only encounter New Zealand art via textbooks and internet images. The aim of the Real Art Road Show is to give every art student in New Zealand, no matter where they live, the opportunity to be inspired by experiencing first-hand the scale, texture and colour of original artworks. The collection has been purchased from the artists themselves, as well as from dealers and auctions, with students and the New Zealand art curriculum mind.
High school art teacher Robin Slow said that what these people are doing was truly amazing and provided great resources for teachers and students.
“Most students are not going to see original works and even a lot of people in the wider community don’t have that opportunity to see artwork of that quality and calibre unless they go away to larger centres in New Zealand. When students can see the real size of the original works they are often surprised how large these are, and the students greatly benefit from the interreaction with the actual artworks themselves instead of having to work with models only.
“The roadshow gives students the opportunity to see surfaces and textures, something I find difficult when I am teaching by using only reproductions.”
The organisers say that the show is neither predictable nor a reflection of art establishment tastes, adding, “The Real Art Roadshow is art that moves, in more ways than one.”
The show is free for schools and students. From 7-10 May the truck will be parked in the high school courtyard to give students the opportunity to view this exceptional exhibition on wheels and it will be open to the public over the weekend of 8-9 May, from 10am-4pm.
The Roadshow is run as a not-for-profit organisation and relies on the generosity of others to keep it wheeling. For more info visit: realartroadshow.co.nz
Ina Holst
