Mrkusich exhibition coup for Aratoi

COLOURFUL FIGURE: Milan Mrkusich outside his Te Papa Cable St spandrels.

A landmark exhibition of works by one of New Zealand's most important living artists has opened at Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History.

The Milan Mrkusich: Chromatic Investigations and Paintings from the 90s exhibition includes three major groups of paintings from the 1990s, including the Chromatic Investigations series which has never been seen by the public before.

Born in 1925, Mrkusich is considered a pioneer of abstract painting in New Zealand, and is also well-known for his glass mural on the south facade of Te Papa.

Aratoi worked closely with the artist and his son to design a gallery space that met the painter's precise requirements. Several specially designed curved walls were built in the main gallery to display the paintings exactly as Mrkusich envisaged.

Mrkusich's son, Lewis, said it was exciting to finally find the right space to hold the exhibition.

"The curves had been worked out by the artist many years ago without knowing that this space existed. What a joyful thing that it's in Masterton not in Auckland."

Aratoi director Alice Hutchison said it was her most ambitious exhibition for the gallery.

"This is the big one - it's the most important exhibition I have worked on in this country.

"I hope that it appeals to a really broad audience. You don't need to have a background in art history to appreciate it."

The exhibition, which is exclusive to Aratoi, also includes a series loaned from Te Papa's collection.

Mrkusich is a ground-breaking artist, Ms Hutchison said.

"From the beginning he was a pioneer in this country that kept challenging himself, doing things in this country that hadn't been done before."

The 89-year-old artist lives in Auckland and was not well enough to travel to Masterton for the opening. The exhibition runs from October 24 until January 31.