7-31 October 2009

Sam Harrison's large scale woodcut portraits and a selection of his sculpted studies of the human form will be seen for the first time in the North Island in this solo exhibition opening at Solander Gallery.

Building on the success of his recent exhibitions at COCA in Christchurch and furthering his reputation as an exceptional young talent, Harrison's new works explore biblical narratives while harking back to Renaissance ideals of beauty and form. The finely chiseled woodcut prints show a genuine draftsmanship and a lively and sensitive engagement with the subject. Portrayed with empathy, the figures are modeled through variances between light and dark. Their often near life size scale adds to the presence of the subject, holding the viewer in their steady gaze.

Sam Harrison graduated with a Bachelor of Art and Design from the CPIT School of Art and Design in 2006 and in the same year won the Visual Arts First Prize in the Mortlock McCormack Law Art competition and additionally, the Farina Thompson Drawing Award.

The artist's work features in public and private collections throughout New Zealand.