Tai Poutini Polytechnic art show on show at the left bank

It’s all go this week for Tai Poutini Polytechnic’s Jade and Hard Stone Carving students as they prepare for an upcoming exhibition at the Left Bank Art Gallery on Tainui Street.

The exhibition opens this Friday night and is open to the public until Monday 30 November.

“It’s an opportunity for the community to see what the students have been doing all year,” says Tai Poutini Polytechnic’s, Head of Department, Business, Computing & Arts, Kate Campbell, who oversees the programmes. “And an opportunity for the artists to showcase their work and get their names out there.”

Students will be exhibiting the work they have produced throughout the year, including a variety of unique designs created in a range of different stones including limestone, argillite, Australian Black Jade and South Westland Pounamu.

Putting together the exhibition is the final assessment task for the students, who graduate on 20 November. “They have to arrange their pieces for display, photograph them, write their own artist statement and so on, so it’s a good challenge and gives the students good experience for future exhibitions,” says Campbell.

The public will be able to buy some of the works, but not all pieces will be for sale. “The students will want to hold on to their more personal pieces.”

Jade and carving is synonymous with the West Coast, says Campbell, and the Jade and Hard Stone Carving programmes, reflect this.

“They are unique programmes, locally and internationally, and attract attention from all over the world.”

The programme has recently been re-written and refreshed to reflect the changing needs of students and local industry. The Certificate in Jade and Hard Stone Carving aims to prepare graduates for entry level positions at local businesses, and the Diploma in Jade and Hard Stone Carving will promote “artistic exploration and personal design”.

The students have invited over 60 guests to the opening on Friday night, including family, friends and representatives from the local jade community.

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