Ralph Hotere

The major exhibition Ralph Hotere: Ātete (to resist) is on at Christchurch Art Gallery from Saturday 27 March to Sunday 25 July 2021.

As well as the exhibition, there are some events:

Find out more about Ralph Hotere:

Ralph Hotere (Te Aupōuri)

Pou Kohikohinga Māori | Māori Collections Specialist Māia on Ralph Hotere.

Ralph Hotere is arguably one of our most important artists. His minimalist paintings are instantly recognisable with the distinctive use of black paint on found materials. His paintings speak for themselves in their grandeur as they evoke feelings and emotion by the viewer. Another aspect of Hotere’s work is that he collaborated often with other artists and writers such as Bill Culbert, Bill Manhire and Hone Tuwhare.

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Remembering Ralph Hotere - WORD Christchurch Spring Festival, 1 November 2020

Listen to this WORD Christchurch session.

Ralph Hotere was one of Aotearoa’s most significant artists. His life was just as remarkable as his art. Hotere invited the poet, novelist and biographer Vincent O’Sullivan to write his life story in 2005. Now, this book — the result of years of research and many conversations with Hotere and his fellow artists, collaborators, friends and family — provides a nuanced, compelling portrait of Hotere: the man, and the artist. Vincent O’Sullivan is joined by Bill Manhire, Cilla McQueen and Lisa Reihana to discuss the life and work of the man behind the iconic, stand-alone signature: HOTERE. Chaired by Sally Blundell.

Caitlin wrote a report on this event:

Hotere is known as one of Aotearoa's most well-known 20th century artists. Often identified for the persistence of black in his paintings, Hotere was a versatile and fluent visual communicator who enjoyed using a range of materials. Often painting onto windows, salvaged wood, and corrugated iron, Hotere exhibited an independence and innovation that separated him from other contemporaries of his time. I am remembering standing in front of Hotere’s work a previous year- and can now see a rich visual language emerge. It presents itself to me as if Hotere had an internal catalogue of personal iconography, that featured the concerns of Hotere’s life, death, life, war, poetry, environment and colonialism. It’s cunning, witty, imbued with a dark elemental quality that is both dark and conjuring, emotionally weighted, full of reflection, a symbol, a sign.

Read the full article at The Dark is Light Enough- Remembering Ralph Hotere: WORD Christchurch Spring Festival 2020.

Ralph Hotere. Quinn, Kenneth Fleming, 1920-2013: Portraits of prominent New Zealanders. Ref: 1/4-089482-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23087504
Ralph Hotere. Quinn, Kenneth Fleming, 1920-2013: Portraits of prominent New Zealanders. Ref: 1/4-089482-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23087504