A certain shade of blue

First it was red, then it was white; now visitors to Christchurch Art Gallery can enjoy the many different shades of blue in the fascinating Blue Planet.

Blue is a feeling, a place to dream, an endless idea and the colour of our amazing planet as seen from space. Blue Planet is a new interactive exhibition that celebrates the ways artists use the colour blue and investigates the different meanings and associations that it accrues. Visitors will experience imaginative art making as well as different cultural and global perspectives.

Blair Jackson, Acting Director of the Gallery, explains that Blue Planet is the third in the series of colour-focused exhibitions to be held at Christchurch Art Gallery, and follows the highly successful I See Red and White on White.

’Colour is regarded as one of the most powerful means of visual communication. Focusing our attention on just one colour allows us to view these works of art in a brand-new light’ says Blair.

Included in the exhibition are works by Reuben Paterson, Jae Hoon Lee, Helen Calder, Francis Upritchard, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba, Gavin Hipkins, Richard Maloy, Len Castle, Megan Jenkinson, Peter Madden, Rohan Wealleans, Max Gimblett, Shona Firman, Colin McCahon and Eileen Mayo, as well as examples of traditional Nigerian sculpture and Japanese prints.

Blue Planet is shaped with younger audiences in mind. Families can take part in an activity trail by picking up an activity booklet from the Burdon Family Gallery and completing the interactive quizzes and drawings on the way around the exhibition.

Blue Planet is sponsored by Chartwell Trust.

The exhibition opens at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetu this Saturday 21 November 2009 and will run until 7 November 2010.