Jon Tootill, PIPIWHARAROA II, 2021. Acrylic on linen, 135 x 120cm. Courtesy: the artist and Sanderson Contemporary Art, Auckland.
The hero painting for Jon Tootill’s upcoming exhibition at Sanderson Contemporary is a full-spectrum colour study. Piwakawaka (2010-2020) completes a decade-long series that studies the rau, or plumage, of native birds through colour sampling.
Tootill’s works act like an index, mapping colours found in nature. He selects colour using Adobe Capture, he processes those samples digitally and arranges them in combinations. Then, he creates delicate watercolours, patient studies that elicit the nuances of nature all over again. The inherent colour irregularities of these works seep into the fibres of absorbent Fabriano paper. Lastly, he scales up into meticulously painted acrylic linen. Throughout the whole process though, he says, “Titling these works indicate the origins of the colour combinations, rather than a narrative.”
His works are a blend of art, technology and observational science. Tootill’s innovation is to bring to those western knowledge systems, indigenous knowledge and Māori visual culture.
