Artist Matt Dowman with his installation A Brighter Future at Tauranga Art Gallery. Photo/Andrew Warner
Artist Matt Dowman with his installation A Brighter Future at Tauranga Art Gallery. Photo/Andrew Warner
What child wouldn't like to design their own superhero, make a medal, or create some amazing tape stencil art? They can do all this and more this Saturday at Tauranga Art Gallery during the first Family Fun Day of the year.
Twice a year, the Tauranga Art Gallery hosts aFamily Fun Day on which local families are welcome to join the Tauranga Art Gallery educators for a fun-filled day of bright and colourful art making, face painting, story telling, and other surprises.
The gallery's learning and engagement programmes manager, Hannah Wilson, says the Family Fun Days are organised for families to come together and enjoy the gallery and activities that relate to the showcased exhibitions.
"It's always a fun time and the cost is just $5 for a family, regardless of the size of the family," Hannah says. Materials are included in the cost, and Hannah explains that the activities on the day are best suited for under-10s.
In between art-making fun, the whole family can walk around the gallery spaces to experience the current exhibitions that include Matt Dowman's A Brighter Future, the Medal Artists of New Zealand 25th Anniversary Exhibition, and Elliot Collins' new work The Weight of History.
Hannah says Matt Dowman's show will especially appeal to children as it has movie characters and super heroes they will recognise from popular media such as cartoons, movies and comics.
The Auckland-based artist has created a vibrant environment for the gallery and you become immersed in it as soon as you set foot in the space. By using the visual language of street art, comic book illustration and formal abstraction, he has created a colourful and impressive installation.
"We have school and ECE groups visiting almost every day and the feedback from children as well as teachers to Matt's show has been very positive," Hannah says. "Matt has used mixed media, including house paint and marker pen, to create this work and we hope it will inspire the children to create a superhero or two of their own."
the fine print What: Family Fun Day Where: Tauranga Art Gallery, cnr Wharf and Willow Streets When: Saturday, March 19 Time: 10am-3pm Cost: $5 per family (no bookings required)
