Matt Akehurst
Shared Lines: Christchurch / Sendai exhibiting artist
Object 13, 2012, polystyrene, plaster, builders fill and paint
Object 6, 2012, Polystyrene, Plaster, Builders fill, Paint
Object 7, 2012, Polystyrene, Plaster, Builders fill, Paint
b. 1971, New Zealand
2010 Bachelor of Fine Arts (hons) University of Canterbury
I am a Canterbury-based artist and regularly exhibit in both group exhibitions and project spaces. I have work in both private and public collections. My practice encompasses sculpture, video, performance, internet sites, drawing and any other medium that is commonly listed under the rubric of contemporary art. I also work as a scientist in microbiology at the hospital.
Blobs, much like the art world, defy definition. They are constantly evolving amorphous creatures adapting to their surroundings, relentlessly trying to find their own niche. Object 13 is a result of its twelve predecessors.
One of the first blobs I made was Bob blue blob. Each blob work tends to evolve out of the previous one. Simply titled Object 1, Object 2, Object 3 etc., the works are initially shaped from high-density polystyrene with the use of saws, wire brushes and different grades of sandpaper. They are then coated with builders plaster, sanded and then spray-painted. The final works are displayed within vitrines.
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