The Realists

The Realists

brunelle dias, Tèhlor-Lina Mareko, Samuel O’Malley, John Tiger Shen

Depot Artspace
28 Clarence St, Devonport, Auckland

4 – 29 March 2023

Opening event: Saturday 4th March 2-4pm
Artists talk: Sat 11 March, 2.00pm. All Welcome, free entry.

Special Event: Light Night 2023 Sat 18 March, 5.30pm - 8.30pm. All Welcome, free entry.

How will we ultimately characterise the art of our contemporary era? Which themes or movements will come to be known as early 21st century art? After all, contemporary art can only be referred to as contemporary for so many years.

For ‘The Realists’ DEPOT Artspace curator and gallery manager Nina Dyer challenged four emerging artists from diverse backgrounds to address what the art historical themes of Realism might look like in 2023 in a culture of radical transparency and photo apps with names like “BeReal”. If Gustave Courbet or Edward Hopper were born in the millennium, what kind of daily realities might they have chosen to represent? In this exhibition John Tiger Shen, Tèhlor-Lina Mareko, brunelle dias and Samuel O’Malley respond with works that counter the click bait world we live in.

Using photographic portraiture (John Tiger Shen), digital photography (Tèhlor-Lina Mareko) and painting (brunelle dias and Samuel O’Malley), the hyper-performative times we’re living in are countered with honest and reflective perspectives in this exhibition.

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news and events, exhibitionPHOTOFORUM STAFF4 March 20232023Comment