Art in a new land

30 June 2008

Artstation and the New Zealand Film Archive present Talk Back, a series of mixed media exhibitions and workshops highlighting the work of artists new to the New Zealand art scene.

In exhibitions at both Artstation and the New Zealand Film Archive, emerging and established immigrant artists representing Auckland's diverse communities will show their work.

"The exhibition is a celebration of diversity. It is a great opportunity to embrace all aspects of my cultural heritage, not just one" says Vietnamese born artist Gia Nghi Phung.

"I have been living in Auckland for almost six years and I think this is a fantastic chance to showcase art being produced by immigrants to Auckland."

Alongside the exhibitions are professional development workshops which will give new artists an understanding of the arts sector in New Zealand and provide opportunities for artists to meet, and forge new relationships and networks with the wider art community.

The first workshop is How to survive and thrive as an artist in Aotearoa/New Zealand, a one-day seminar by Arts Biz offering practical information and outlining business processes an artist needs to know in order to establish an art career in New Zealand.

Next, the Artists Alliance present Making your mark, case studies of how three immigrant artists placed themselves in the New Zealand art market. This will be followed by an open panel discussion with guest artists on working as artists in New Zealand.

Finally, Artstation will hold the Career path workshop, a one-day forum where Artstation students, tutors and a range of arts practitioners will share their career path stories to inspire and inform participants of the possibilities for careers in the art world.

Talk Back opens on 22 July and runs at Artstation until 9 August and the New Zealand Film Archive until 23 August.