A SOLO EXHIBITION BY ANDREW SWARBRICK
February 19th – 25th 2024
Pumanawa Gallery, The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora.
First Floor Boy’s High Building, The Arts Centre
2 Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch
Chronos, a term borrowed from the Greek language, is derived from the combining form of chrónos, meaning “time” or “duration,” with its origin shrouded in mystery. In Greek mythology, Chronos (/ˈkroʊnəs, -oʊs/; Greek: Χρόνος, [kʰrónos], “time”), also spelled Khronos or Chronus, emerges as a personification of time, as explored in pre-Socratic philosophy and later literary works.
What more fitting name could there be for my inaugural solo exhibition? Chronos embodies the essence of the passage of time, symbolizing the force that ages, decays, and ushers in the cycle of life, growth, and creativity. It is a constant undercurrent that permeates my artworks, fueled by a profound yearning for genuine creativity, freedom, and a fascination with the myriad facets of existence, creation, and mortality. This exhibition serves as both an existential exploration of creativity and life, as well as an emotional outlet and coping mechanism for the challenges of navigating through the depths of depression and reaching a place of healing, understanding, and renewed hope.
This collection represents a retrospective journey through my artistic evolution over the years, each piece categorized according to the time invested in its creation. It is a visual representation of the passage of time and our shared odyssey through it, illustrating the diverse scales of time embedded in the artworks. From the frenetic flow state of brief morning painting sessions lasting just an hour to the profound, immersive 100+ hour explorations into the limits of expression, the exhibition delves into the nuanced perceptions of time’s passage. It contemplates how our consciousness influences the stretching and contracting of time, how these temporal nuances manifest in the moods captured in each piece, and, ultimately, how they shape the intricate relationship between the artist and the viewer.
