Leading names in the international contemporary art arena will descend on New Plymouth in the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery’s latest exhibition Extended Play: art remixing music.

Focussing on the interplay between popular music culture and contemporary art, the show features works by 18 national and international artists who utilise pop music to create cutting edge works.

The artists’ vantage point outside the music industry enables them to freely remix music culture, said Gallery Director Greg Burke.

“By working across mediums the artists push the boundaries of contemporary art practice in as much as they transform music. For example, Christian Marclay’s video work Guitar drag, shows an electric guitar dragged down dirt roads and across fields in heartland America to a soundtrack of raw punk,” said Mr Burke. 

Many of the works are tinged with a sense of irony, as they both celebrate and critique the impact of pop music culture on contemporary society. Many of the artists are also accomplished musicians including Canadian artist Rodney Graham who performs the soundtrack to his video, which mixes nature scenes with footage of a woman caressing a guitar with a feather duster, acknowledging the pull of the electric guitar. Meanwhile, the work’s amateur production mocks the mega budget MTV rock video expected by today’s audiences.

The influence of the guitar is again seen in the collaborative TM/MF 2000 video and painting by Melbourne-based artist Marco Fusinato and Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore. Moore shot video of himself playing guitar in New York and sent this to Fusinato who then responded by painting 10 red monochromes in time to the tracks.

Extended Play offers something for everyone with an interest in pop music, from Kylie fans to disciples of electronica. The exhibition includes works by Andrea Bowers (US), Ricky Swallow (Australia), Stephen Prina (US), Carsten Nicolai (Germany), Scanner (UK), Hilary Lloyd (UK), Pipilotti Rist (Switzerland), Kati Rule (Australia), Candice Breitz (Germany), Mutlu Cerkez (Australia), Jeremy Deller (UK) and New Zealand artists Sean Kerr, Michael Parekowhai and Ronnie van Hout.

Pop musicians referred to in the exhibition include Kylie Minogue, Neil Diamond, Eric Burden and the Animals, Sonic Youth, Elvis Presley, Karen Carpenter, Annie Lennox, Chris Isaaks, DJ Princess Julia, Anthrax, Donovan, Led Zeppelin, Engleburt Humperdinck, Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, Joni Mitchell, John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Extended Play culminates in a major performance event; Extended Play LIVE, to be held in New Plymouth on 29 March 2003, featuring performances by exhibiting artists Carsten Nicolai, Scanner, Sean Kerr and showing leading Los Angeles artist Stephen Prina’s Vinyl II, a music tribute to the art collection of the Getty Foundation. 

The exhibition continues the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery’s commitment to presenting and interpreting cutting edge contemporary art from New Zealand and around the world.

Extended Play: art remixing music runs 22 February to 4 May 2003.

The exhibition has been supported by the Goethe Institut Internationes, Wellington and the Australia Council for the Arts.

For further information contact:

Greg Burke, Director, 06-758-5149  

or Antony Rhodes, Marketing Manager, 06-759-0852