Webb of intrigue
New Zealand Listener|April 6-11, 2024
A retrospective of artist Marilynn Webb argues for her place as one of Aotearoa's most important and innovative landscape artists.
THOMAS MCLEAN
Webb of intrigue

Her work was admired by Ralph Hotere. She was celebrated in verse by Hone Tuwhare and Cilla McQueen. Her teaching shaped thousands of art students, and she was honoured with awards, exhibitions, and interviews. Her pastel images of Fiordland, in shades of silver, olive and blue, have become iconic. And yet one could argue that Marilynn Webb's achievements remain undervalued in Aotearoa, especially outside Otago and Southland.

"Being Māori, a woman, living 'regionally, and an artist who works on paper are all factors that result in her artwork being readily dismissed by many public institutions," says artist Bridget Reweti. "But despite this, her work is loved and continually receives the credit it deserves from artists."

Reweti, Lauren Gutsell and Lucy Hammonds are co-curators of Folded in the Hills, a major retrospective of Webb's art from the late 1960s to the mid 2000s that currently fills the Dunedin Public Art Gallery's vast first floor. The exhibition, which travels to Christchurch in June, and the handsome accompanying catalogue are an attempt to shift public thinking about Webb's remarkable body of work.

The seeds of the exhibition were sown in 2018, when Gutsell and Hammonds curated (with input from Webb) a selection of the gallery's holdings of her work. "I guess that was a catalyst for realising that the time had come for a much more expansive look at Marilynn's career," says Hammonds. Webb died in August 2021, as plans developed for the current retrospective.

The exhibition has been organised meticulously. Most of the walls are painted white, accentuated at key points with a suitably Fiordland-esque smoky teal, which acts as "a connecting fibre through the spaces", says Gutsell. All 140 works on display have been reframed in identical white matting, white frames, and non-reflective glass. "We wanted the work to be the focus," she says.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEW ZEALAND LISTENERView all
First-world problem
New Zealand Listener

First-world problem

Harrowing tales of migrants attempting to enter the US highlight the political failure to fully tackle the problem.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Applying intelligence to AI
New Zealand Listener

Applying intelligence to AI

I call it the 'Terminator Effect', based on the premise that thinking machines took over the world.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Nazism rears its head
New Zealand Listener

Nazism rears its head

Smirky Höcke, with his penchant for waving with a suspiciously straight elbow and an open palm, won't get to be boss of either state.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Staying ahead of the game
New Zealand Listener

Staying ahead of the game

Will the brave new world of bipartisanship that seems to be on offer with an Infrastructure Commission come to fruition?

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Grasping the nettle
New Zealand Listener

Grasping the nettle

Broccoli is horrible. It smells, when being cooked, like cat pee.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Hangry? Eat breakfast
New Zealand Listener

Hangry? Eat breakfast

People who don't break their fast first thing in the morning report the least life satisfaction.

time-read
3 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Chemical reaction
New Zealand Listener

Chemical reaction

Nitrates in processed meats are well known to cause harm, but consumed from plant sources, their effect is quite different.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Me and my guitar
New Zealand Listener

Me and my guitar

Australian guitarist Karin Schaupp sticks to the familiar for her Dunedin concerts.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 9, 2024
Time is on my side
New Zealand Listener

Time is on my side

Age does not weary some of our much-loved musicians but what keeps them on the road?

time-read
7 mins  |
September 9, 2024
The kids are not alright
New Zealand Listener

The kids are not alright

Nuanced account details how China's blessed generation has been replaced by one consumed by fear and hopelessness.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 9, 2024