Exhibition: Object Lessons: Imported collections, local art, and design education in Ōtautahi Christchurch – Saturday 19 February to Sunday 27 March 2022

Object Lessons: Imported collections, local art, and design education in Ōtautahi Christchurch runs from 19 February until 20 March 2022, Te Pito Huarewa | Southbase gallery, Tuakiri / Level 2, Tūranga. UPDATE: This exhibition has been extended to 27 March 2022

Drawing on both student work and select objects from the University’s collections – namely plaster casts, lantern slides, and books – Object Lessons considers how imported and local materials informed the teaching and learning of design at the CCSA in the decades following its establishment in 1882.

It explores how a curriculum initially built to mirror precedents within Britain was soon transformed by the unique cultural contexts within Aotearoa, including toi Māori. In exploring how art and design education changed during this period, the exhibition reflects on some of the factors that influenced these changes, and encourages visitors to think about some of the continuities and shifts in art education over the last 140 years.

The exhibition is curated by Bojana Rimbovska, UC doctoral student in Art History, with the support of Te Puna Rakahau o Macmillan Brown Library, Christchurch City Libraries, and the Department of Art History and Theory at UC University of Canterbury.

Object Lessons: Imported collections, local art, and design education in Ōtautahi Christchurch runs from 19 February until 20 March 2022, Te Pito Huarewa | Southbase gallery, Tuakiri / Level 2, Tūranga

Related Events

Curator Tour: Sunday 20 March 2pm to 3pm

Join exhibition curator Bojana Rimbovska on a tour of the Object Lessons, gain insight into the exhibition's themes and get up close to some of the related treasures from the Tūranga's archives room.

Ages: 16+ years

Object Lessons Workshop: Explore...Draw...Create:  27 March CANCELLED

A workshop inspired by the Object Lessons exhibition.

Take a walk through the evolution of art and design education in the early years of the Canterbury College School of Art. Join in as we discuss the key influences of the era before moving on to reflect on what guides and inspires us in our creative work today. 

Explore your ideas in a sketching workshop and learn how to transform your work using some of Tūranga’s creative tools (badge maker and vinyl printer) on Auahatanga | Creativity, Level 4.

Meet at Object Lessons: Imported collections, local art, and design education in Ōtautahi Christchurch exhibition in Te Pito Huarewa / Southbase Gallery, Tuakiri, Level 2.
Ages: 13+ years

View exhibition photos on Flickr

Bojana Rimbovska
Curator