Towards the Centre: The Given as an Art-Political Statement
Billy Apple, Artist; Wystan Curnow, Author;
This is one of the
photographs
in our collection.
It was made in
Whanganui, Whanganui Region, New Zealand
in 1979.
About the Work
Part
of
Billy
Apple's
Oct
1979
-
March
1980
New
Zealand
tour
executing
installations/interventions
in
nine
New
Zealand
galleries
titled
"The
Given
as
an
Art-Political
Statement".
Wystan
Curnow
was
Apple's
'tour
manager'
facilitating
the
interventions
in
each
of
the
venues.
At the Sarjeant Gallery Apple's installation/intervention titled 'Towards the Centre' was to remove 'The Wrestlers' from the dome area at the centre of the building, which the sculpture had occupied for a considerable length of time.
These texts were written and prepared by Wystan Curnow and displayed on each of the 8 walls of the dome, corresponding the view within each displayed photograph with where the visitor was standing in order to read the text panel.
As long as ‘The Wrestlers’ are not in the centre of the dome, Apple's intervention remains intact.
For more information about this exhibition tour and series of work see "Report:The Given as an Art-Political Statement" by Wystan Curnow Art New Zealand No 15 (pub 1980) pp26-33 and 60-61 and 65
https://www.art-newzealand.com/Issues11to20/apple.htm
At the Sarjeant Gallery Apple's installation/intervention titled 'Towards the Centre' was to remove 'The Wrestlers' from the dome area at the centre of the building, which the sculpture had occupied for a considerable length of time.
These texts were written and prepared by Wystan Curnow and displayed on each of the 8 walls of the dome, corresponding the view within each displayed photograph with where the visitor was standing in order to read the text panel.
As long as ‘The Wrestlers’ are not in the centre of the dome, Apple's intervention remains intact.
For more information about this exhibition tour and series of work see "Report:The Given as an Art-Political Statement" by Wystan Curnow Art New Zealand No 15 (pub 1980) pp26-33 and 60-61 and 65
https://www.art-newzealand.com/Issues11to20/apple.htm
Measurements
Photograph/Image -30.5 x 22cm
Matt window/Image and support - 30.5 x 22cm
Frame - 58.5 x 48.5 x 2.5cm
Matt window/Image and support - 30.5 x 22cm
Frame - 58.5 x 48.5 x 2.5cm
Media
silver gelatin print, photo-mechanical print on paper
Description
From the series of installations/interventions by Billy Apple titled 'The Given as an Art-Political Statement'. Eight separate framed works on paper produced by Wystan Curnow. Each panel consists of a black and white photograph with a heading and text below, printed black on white paper. The images show a view of 'The Wrestlers' marble sculpture in the centre of the Sarjeant Gallery dome space. Sunlight from the dome skylights above forms a spotlight on the sculpture. Other gallery spaces are visible through the doorways off the dome area. Each panel and image shows a view of 'The Wrestlers' from a different vantage point within the dome space. The view depicted corresponds with the placement of the text panel within the gallery space and where the visitor is standing to read the panel. The works are framed according to the artist's wishes, thus the frame is part of the work and cannot be removed.
Credit Line
Collection of the Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua Whanganui. Purchased with a subsidy from the Q.E.II Arts Council, 1980.
Collection Type
Permanent collection
Acquisition Date
11 Feb 1980