Parlour is pleased to announce The Best Stories Ever Told (Revisited), an exhibition of collaboration pieces by two of New Zealand’s most celebrated artists, Ans Westra and Wayne Youle. Presented in conjunction with renowned Wellington gallery, {Suite}, the exhibition will be on view from April 15 to May 14, 2016, and will inaugurate Parlour’s new gallery space at 306 Eastbourne Street East, Hastings. Parlour invites you to attend an opening reception for the exhibition on Friday, April 15 from 6 to 8pm.
With a career spanning more than five decades, Ans Westra has produced some of the most iconic social and documentary photography in New Zealand’s history. Ans will be featuring in Parlour’s inaugural exhibition alongside multidisciplinary artist Wayne Youle. Opening in two weeks today!
With a career spanning more than five decades, Ans Westra has produced some of the most iconic social and documentary photography in New Zealand’s history. A self-taught photographer, Ans has a particular interest in Maori people and culture. In The Best Stories Ever Told (Revisited), multidisciplinary artist Wayne Youle has applied his trademark palette to a series of Ans’ photographs, creating a commentary on issues of identity and race.
The two artists first produced the collaboration pieces for the 2013 edition of the Auckland Art Fair. The works were extremely well received and the pair has continued to produce them since. Using sign vinyl material and found images, Youle adds his risible touch to Ans’ ruminative silver gelatin prints, enabling an unlikely union between two artists with very distinct practices. In doing so, the artists re-imagine and re-evaluate ideas and aesthetics across years of work, demonstrating a commitment to the pursuit of new processes and forms.
The Best Stories Ever Told (Revisited) will also feature two of Youle’s recent portrait paintings of Ans Westra, based on an image of the artist from 1963. The exhibition marks the only time these two seminal works will be shown together.
The exhibition coincides with the launch of a private museum dedicated to Ans Westra. Established by owner and director of {Suite}, David Alsop, the new Wellington museum will preserve and display Ans’ pioneering body of work for generations to enjoy.
Ans Westra CNZM (born 28 April 1936 in Leiden) is one of New Zealand’s pioneering photographers, and has been a part of New Zealand’s social fabric for more than 50 years. Immigrating in 1957 from the Netherlands, Ans has produced some of the most iconic and insightful photography in New Zealand’s history. Ans has received many accolades for her work, including several Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council grants, an Arts Foundation Icon Award in 2007 and a Certificate of Excellence from the New York World’s Fair for The World and Its People in 1964-65. In 1998, Ans was awarded the Companion of the Order of New Zealand Merit (CNZM) for services to photography. In 2007 she became an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Icon artist. Ans Westra lives and works in Wellington, New Zealand.
Wayne Youle (born 1974) is a sculptor, printmaker, painter and installation artist, frequently making use of found materials. He exhibits nationally and internationally, including in the United States of America, Australia and the United Kingdom. His work is held in the collections of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the Auckland Art Gallery, Christchurch Art Gallery, Govett Brewster Art Gallery, Wellington City Council, University of Waikato and Porirua City Council. Wayne Youle lives and works in Amberley, New Zealand.