Courtesy: the artist and Sanderson Contemporary, Auckland.

Sanderson presents the exhibition Tempo, featuring a suite of monotype prints by Zara Dolan.

Dolan is an Irish born, New Zealand artist based in Otautahi Christchurch. Her new body of work is a selection of unique prints created on a large traditional printmaking press – the largest in the country. With luminaries including Jackson Pollock, Joan Mitchell, David Reed, and David Row serving as guiding lights, Dolan’s prints are inspired by the embodied nature of action painting. Each monotype presents a dynamic energy – a suspended moment of lively, animated motion. With particular focus on colour and form, this series builds on the artist’s research into colour theory and the captivating interplay of colours and their complements.

Dolan’s practice hinges on the process-driven nature of monotype printing. The works materialise in the very moment before the printing takes place. Once rolled, the image transfers unable to be recreated, making every print unique. Each work is titled to encapsulate their creative voyage; reflecting the HEX colour code, press cycles, and tools used within this artistic amalgamation.

Drawing on abstract expressionist mark making, Dolan’s gestures are direct and intuitive; mediated by the application of colour. Each work follows a meticulous set of repeated motions; guided by a precise methodology that the artist has developed over years of art making. Yet, each iteration is also spontaneous: an immediate translation of painterly gesture and expression.

Working at such a large scale immerses the artist completely in the creative process; forging a profound connection to the work, which she describes as a significant aspect of her artistic journey. Music plays a central role in enabling this creative process. Similar to abstract expressionists like Pollock, who submerged himself in free-form jazz while painting, the artist immerses herself in the rhythms and breakbeats of drum and base music. This allows the artist to enter a meditative state of complete focus while working. The resulting marks are informed by the intonations of the music the artist has been listening to. Each stroke is shaped by differing tempos: faster cadence conveying excitement and energy, whilst slower beats evoke a sense of calm.

Opening Event: Tuesday 24 October, 5 – 7pm.

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