The colour palette
Slide to reveal the inspiration of the colours.
Nike Savvas talks to Curator Contemporary Art, Nina Tonga, about Finale: Bouquet, on display until Jan 2020.
I wanted to make a field or bouquet of colour that related to specific flora ... the colours found in New Zealand were a great inspiration.
The beautiful watercolours of artist Sarah Featon proved particularly instructive.
My colours were derived from the following flora: kōwhai, forget-me-not, white mountain lily, taurepo, kākābeak, mānuka, pōhutukawa, and sun orchid.
Forget-me-not
[Myosotis species (5) Forget-me-not], about 1885, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/35)
Mountain lily
The mountain lily, about 1885, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/73)
Kōwhai
Yellow Kowhai, 1888, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/72)
Mānuka
Manuka, about 1885, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/66)
My approach incorporates years of studying different aspects of colour theory.
Over time, I have developed an attuned sensitivity to working with colour relations at a complex and highly sensitive level – materially, spatially, optically, perceptually, and also intuitively.
This has proved to be crucial in respect to the colours chosen and the layout and spacing of each coloured tab.
Sun orchid
[Thelymitra longifolia], about 1885, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/117)
Taurepo
Euphrasia cuneata; Rhabdothamnus solandri [also known as taurepo]; Utricularia monanthos, about 1885, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/18)
Pōhutukawa
Pōhutukawa – Metrosideros Tomentosa, 1888, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/67)