“In the past 50 years, Philippa Blair has been described as a traveller and a restless spirit, fluent in translating the tumultuous world around her into vibrant observations that are boldly autobiographical but also hum with the familiar rhythms of life.” Chloe Geoghegan, Curator, Te Uru Contemporary Gallery, Waitakere.
Blair was born in Christchurch in 1945. She died in Auckland, in January 2025. Exhibiting regularly, both nationally and internationally, for most of her long and distinguished career, she had more than 100 solo and 300 group exhibitions to her credit.
A testament to her significance as a major artist, Blair’s work is held in over 50 public and significant private collections in places such as NZ, Australia, USA, Great Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, and Asia (including the private collection of the late musician David Bowie, the Museum of NZ Te Papa Tongarewa, the Australian National Gallery and the Long Beach Museum of Art, CA).
Celebrating her colourful life and personality, Vibrant Observations presents a selection of oils on canvas, small gouache works, and vellum & ink drawings produced during the late 1990’s and early 2000s. Many of the works were created in the Angelus Place studio (Venice, CA) that Blair made and shared with husband, John Porter (architect and painter). Created at what was a particularly happy and productive time in her life, these energetic and colourful works capture the rhythm and excitement of her new, fast-paced life in the USA.
Also on show are a small number of Blair’s large, historic works on unstretched canvas (books & cloaks) created in NZ (1984-1996).
Also check out other Arts events in Dunedin, Music events in Dunedin, Exhibitions in Dunedin.
