Two group exhibitions on Arts Village gallery walls this November

Life by Toni Armstrong. Photo / Supplied

This November, The Arts Village has two short and sweet group exhibitions coming to its gallery walls.

St Chads is returning to Studio One for its annual exhibition, and He Kete Kotahi will be in the Cottage Gallery for one week, to commemorate the centenary passing of the son of the founder of the Bahá'í Faith.

St Chads is a Rotorua charity that supports people with disabilities to gain greater independence.

Its 2021 annual exhibition will showcase the new skills learnt over the year, focusing on sculpture and mosaics.

Viewers can expect to see small fine mosaic pieces, paper pulp on wire armature, and handmade mannequins.

These new practices are great individual learning opportunities for the users of St Chads, allowing them to begin fostering fine motor skills and an appreciation of the human body form.

The exhibition pieces have all been painstakingly perfected over the year.

A sculpture by a member of St Chads. Photo / Supplied

He Kete Kotahi is a two-parter exhibition at The Arts Village in 2021 and 2022. This November for a week, the village will be holding a taster exhibition, before the full exhibition in March 2022.

These exhibitions are created in honour of Ábdu'l Bahá, the son of the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, whose life was dedicated to the social and spiritual transformation of the world, particularly the unity and harmony of all ethnicities and races.

He is seen as an exemplar by millions of people around the world.

He Kete Kotahi is an open exhibition showing work from people of all backgrounds, artists and amateurs, who are interested in creating art that promotes the oneness of humanity, celebrates our diversity as a human race and illustrates that we are stronger when working together - as strands of harakeke woven together into a kete.

St Chad's Annual Exhibition will be opening on Friday, November 19 at 5.30pm. The exhibition runs from November 20 to December 4 in Studio One.

The He Kete Kotahi taster runs from November 17 to November 24. The full exhibition runs from March 5 to 26, and will open on March 4 at 5.30pm.

Though there will not be an official opening for the He Kete Kotahi's taster exhibition, there will be a dedication event to bless it on Wednesday, November 17.

For more information contact heketekotahi@gmail.com.