New Plymouth Gallery first in country to showcase new exhibition, Storm

Artist Len Lye with Storm King in the 1960s. Photo / Len Lye Foundation Collection

A Len Lye work never seen in a New Zealand gallery before is going on show at New Plymouth’s Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre this weekend.

Storm, a choreographed ensemble of three individual sculptures, featured in the exhibition Kinesthetics, at New York’s Howard Wise Gallery in 1969. It is being reconstructed by the Len Lye Foundation for the show starting on Saturday.

The exhibition includes the first components of a proposed but never-realised ensemble of more than 40 kinetic sculptures to be called Storm Chamber.

The individual works Storm King, Thunder Sheet and Lightning Bolts are choreographed in a kinetic performance. Len Lye Centre director Zara Stanhope says the original elements of the collection have been stored as archival pieces.

“Drawing on these remaining components of the 1969 work, plus Lye’s notes, audio recordings and drawings, the Len Lye Foundation have been able to reconstruct the work.”

Storm was re-engineered in Christchurch by the foundation ahead of the exhibition, notably the final of Lye’s works to be reconstructed by longstanding foundation director Evan Webb before his death earlier this year.

The exhibition’s opening weekend features a range of free events including the premiere of Weather Assemblage, an original musical response to the work composed by Ōtautahi/Christchurch musician Noel Meek for playing in concert with Storm.

Meek will be joined by Eamon Edmundson-Wells and Sean Martin-Buss on a new instrument constructed for working with Storm, as well as taonga pūoro practitioners Rob Thorne (Ngāti Tumutumu), Jake Kīanō Skinner (Ngāti Rangitihi, Tūhoe) and Larsen Winiata Tito-Taylor (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Whātua, Tainui).

The Details:

What: Opening weekend events

When: Saturday, August 26, 11am-11.30am artists’ talk with Noel Meek, Eamon Edmundsen-Wells and Larsen Winiata Tito-Taylor. Performances of Weather Assemblage at 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm, and 2.30pm.

Sunday, August 27: 10.30am – 12.30pm: Toi Mā te Whānau: Make your own wind instruments. 1.30pm – 3.30pm: Musician’s Masterclass 3pm: Wind Wand Performance with all participants of Sunday’s Toi Mā te Whānau and Musician Masterclass.

Other: Exhibition runs until April 28, 2024