THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX

A MOMENT IN TIME: Artist Graeme Nicoll's latest exhibition is on at Tairāwhiti Museum until March 26. Picture by Liam Clayton

Artist Graeme Nicoll's latest exhibition, A Real Therapy, is a collection of photographic travelogues that take the viewer on a trip down memory lane.

From wooden carvings, pencil sketches to paintings — both realistic and abstract — his art, on display at Tairāwhiti Museum, is a testament to his varied skill set and adventurous spirit.

On opening night last week, Nicoll proudly presented his hand-crafted wooden chess set, which he made in the mid-70s and is the oldest piece in the collection.

It was also the period when he was pursuing a career in architecture.

After completing a day's work, he would come home, sit and carefully carve the pieces one by one.

The chess set has a similarity to the legendary Isle of Lewis chess pieces, which Nicoll had seen a picture of.

His interest was also fuelled by his fascination with the Crusades.

Much like photography, his paintings freeze a moment in history.

One piece, The Works, is a perfect example.

The only remaining portion of the original Kaiti Freezing Works, the brick building that is now a restaurant was once a sausage-making factory and later a dry store, before the rest of the structure was demolished in 1996.

“Back then I expressed my concerns to keep it as it was an iconic building,” Nicoll said.

Unlike his other realistic paintings, The Works is modern and perhaps one of his best.

“For this one, I was particularly keen to force myself to think outside the box.”

Underneath the disguise of simplicity, his use of vivid colours and “concentrated composition” pay tribute to the heritage building.

One of his other pieces is Morning Sun on a Provence Window.

In 2007, Nicoll was part of a cycling tour in Provence, France. One morning as he was biking over a hill, he was mesmerised by the way the village was bathed in the early morning light.

What makes Morning Sun on a Provence Window stand out from his other art is its sense of intimacy.

Due to its small size, the piece encourages viewers to take a closer look and experience a personal moment — “a nosey into a French family's life”.

To the discerning eye, the image might appear to pop out of the frame.

This is achieved by a technique called impasto, where the paint is thickly laid on the surface — usually thick enough that the brush or painting-knife strokes are visible.

Villa by Porch Light is another masterpiece.

The image of the house at 435 Palmerston Road is a feast for the eyes as it effortlessly blends shades of monochrome and colour.

Nicoll was driving one night when a bright porch light caught his attention.

In his artworks, Nicoll said while he tries to recreate moments as they look, there were times when one had to think creatively.

“After all, the truth in art is not always the truth in nature.”

A Real Therapy by Graeme Nicoll. Tairawhiti Museum, until March 26. Artworks are available for sale.