Featherston artist Tania Williams has combined her love of the Mayan culture and her fascination with portals to produce Maya 2012: Portals of Infinity which will open at Aratoi.
Ms Williams said the two themes complement each well: "It's my love of the Mayan culture and my love of portalsand it's a wonderful metaphor for the transition of one age to another".
She has also studied anthropology and lived and worked in Mexico and Guatemala which helped with the exhibition. There are more than 20 pieces in the exhibition - including paintings and digital montages - which she has worked on over the last 15 years. Ms Williams said the Mayan Calender was devised more than 2000 years ago and this year was the completion of a 5225 year cycle. She said the year 2012, especially December 21, was an auspicious time although the timing of the show was completely coincidental.
"A lot of people are thinking it's the end of the world but the Mayans didn't actually believe it's the end of the world ... basically to them, it's a transition for them from one time to another," she said.
She said it was also an important time in astronomy as all the planets are meant to align. The exhibition opens on Saturday and runs until February 3.
