With a practice spanning over two decades, New Zealand artist Peter Robinson has continually varied his use of materials, techniques and the content he addresses. Robinson is known historically for his critical exploration of issues of identity and ethnicity, though the last decade saw a shift to focus more exclusively on exploring and celebrating the materiality of the media with which he works. His recent work is hard to pin down and is often described as playful and inventive, yet it is equally somewhat impenetrable. Robinson’s interest in art that challenges hierarchy and power is extended in this exhibition through the use of craft aesthetics and qualities such as delicacy, ephemerality and casualness.
Robinson has exhibited extensively internationally and locally, highlights include: Recreation Centre, Centre Pompidou, 2015; All our Relations,18th Biennale of Sydney, 2012; De-Building, Christchurch Art Gallery, New Zealand, 2011; The Influence of Anxiety, The Centre for Drawing Project Space, London, 2010; Polymer Monoliths, Artspace, Sydney, and Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, 2009; Snow Ball Blind Time, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, New Plymouth, New Zealand, 2008; ACK!, Artspace, Auckland, New Zealand, 2006; Three Colours (with Gordon Bennett), Heide Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, and Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane, 2004-05; bi-polar, 49th Venice Biennale, Italy, 2001; and Superman in Bed – Collection Schürmann Kunst der Gegenwart und Fotografie, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, Germany, 2001.
Artist’s profile