New works from Lisa Chandler’s recent observations will feature in an exhibition in Wellington, opening Friday 9 March. Chandler lives by the sea in the South Island's beautiful Ruby Bay, but she is fascinated with crowded urban environments. Inspired by philosopher Mark Auge, she explores 'non-places', which city dwellers move through, rather than inhabit. Lisa wanders city streets to experience the light and dynamics of the spaces; she relishes being in the flow of the crowd and the sensory bustle of the city. Back in the studio she creates works with multiple layers of paint where figures are formed, obliterated and reformed. She highlights the tension between the chaos of the crowd and the quiet of the individual to reveal a startling sense of freedom and anonymity.

Art of Life Group Exhibition
Academy Galleries, 1 Queens Wharf, Wellington
Opening: 5.30pm Friday 9 March
Exhibition: 10 March - 8 April 2012

Lisa Chandler is a graduate of the Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design Master of Fine Arts programme; her studio is in Mapua, Tasman

www.lisachandler.co.nz