Past Project Highlights
Since its foundation in 1971, TheNewDowse has been known for its innovative exhibition and events - listed below are some of the highlights
The New Cool
9 June - 30 August 2005
The New Cool showcased the inspirational stories of 12 young entrepreneurial New Zealand companies.
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CupCup
11 September - 14 November 2004
CupCup was an eye-popping installation by leading German artist Thomas Bayrle and students from Massey University’s School of Fine Arts.
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Engage?
5 June - 19 September 2004
Combining elements from craft, furniture design, architecture and sculpture, Tim Wigmore presented a unique installation of furniture made from environmentally friendly materials.
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Finnish Design 125
14 June - 31 August
Developed and toured by the Finnish Design Forum, Finnish Design 125 traced the transformation of Finnish design from the 19th century to the early 21st century.
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Thrift to Fantasy
17 October - 16 February 2003
Thrift & Fantasy explored the dual worlds of practicality and dreams through two unique collections of early twentieth century women’s handwork.
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Lalique
26 January - 21 April 2002
In celebration of the100th anniversary French glass genius René Lalique’s first foray into glass.
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Casting Light - Ann Robinson
14 February 20 May 1998
In the late 70's, after a 15 year break, Ann re-enrolled at art school having been inspired to study glass practice.
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A Human Touch - Droog
17th Feb - 15th April, 2007
Dutch design collective Droog built itself upon an aesthetic that seeks to trigger questions, spark discussion and elicit giggles.
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Domestic Futurists
17th Feb - 20 May, 2007
Mind boggling approaches to how everyday household appliances might look in 2017, from design students at Victoria's design led futures programme.
www.designledfutures.com
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Animalia (remix)
April 21st - May 20, 2007
A life-size interactive game, created by cyborg artist Angela Main, Caroline McCaw and HitLABNZ
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Design Ambassador's Showcase
17 Feb - 20 May, 2007
Product design, fashion and graphic design by the 2006 winners of the British Council Design Ambassador Awards.
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Alan Preston
17th Feb - 17 June, 2007
A celebration of a career committed to creating distinctive jewellery of and for this place, using shells, stones and the natural fabric of New Zealand.
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Homemade Mathematics
17th Feb - 1 July, 2007
After designing the pattern of perforations for Rainscreen, the huge aluminium screen on the building's facade, Simon Morris explored the same design ideas in three large canvases.
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The Gift Exchange
17 February - 12 August 2007
From Doreen Blumhardt's lifelong teaching to WETA's 'medieval workshop' environment, The Gift Exchange looks at how inspiration is passed on in a range of media.
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Sergeant P - New Work by Jim Cooper
May 12 - September 16 2007
Citing The Beatles' Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club as one of his major inspirations, ceramicist Jim Cooper has modelled over 100 toddler-sized celebrity figures to create a who's who of 1960s pop icons, musicians, film stars and royal figures.
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Of Gorse of Course
2 June - September 16 2007
Of Gorse Of Course presented an obsessive, inventive, funny, provocative look at gorse by young Wellington-based artist Regan Gentry
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Becoming King Kong
June 30th - November 18th 2007
Developed in partnership with internationally celebrated Weta Workshop & Weta Digital, Becoming King Kong revealed the amazing creative journey that took King Kong from the imagination of Kiwi filmmakers to the world's cinema screens.
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Of Heart and Hands
October 15 - January 27 2007
Indian Mudhubani artist Shanti Devi and local potter Doreen Blumhardt met at TheNewDowse in a celebration of two creative women.
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When Philip Met Isabella
6 October - 2 February, 2008
Thirty-two striking avant-garde hats made by the world's most famous milliner, Philip Treacy for his friend and muse - the style-icon Isabella Blow.
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Zeitgeist Becomes Form
6 October - 2 February, 2008
From Christian Dior to Issey Miyake, these images capture the evolution of fashion, with over 100 photographs from famed photographers such as Helmut Newton, Jurgen Teller and Willy Maywald.
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Navigate
December 7 - March 30 2008
Wanganui glass artist Lyndsay Patterson's stunning series of glass works explore surface and texture - each vessel etched with navigation maps. extracts from family letters and intrinsic Pacific themes.
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Conversations
December 7 - March 30, 2008
Glass-artist Elizabeth McClure and painter Lorraine Rastorfer met over 10 years ago and began a creative conversation, based on their mutual aesthetic interests. In this exhibition, they presented a series of works developed in conversation.
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Wallace Art Awards 2007
16 Nov - 30 March, 2008
Utilizing all variety of materials from beer to bubble-gum, Fimo to hand-dyed wool, the finalists of the 16th Wallace Art Awards give viewers the chance to glimpse some of the provocative work being produced by contemporary NZ sculptors, photographers and painters.
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The Wind
February 16 - June 22, 2008
Aptly titled ‘The Wind’, Issey Miyake’s latest collection show was brought to life in the form of a thrilling man-made wind storm.
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A Costura Do Invisivel
February 16 - June 22, 2008
In celebration of TheNewDowse's first birthday, and ‘Paper Anniversary’, we are delighted to showcase an artist whose creative genius can transform a humble sheet of paper, into the most extraordinary objects of wonder.
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Beasts
16 February - 2 June, 2008
From family pets to feared foe, the collection show beasts sheds light on our relationship with animals as 'beast mates', beastly foes and showy side-kicks.
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Magic of Mud
February 9 - July 27, 2008
Celebrity portraits, dysfunctional families and candy-coloured popcorn feature in this colourful ceramic exhibition, which explores the techniques and processes of nine established artists.
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Assume Nothing
April 12 - August 31, 2008
This stunning series reveals both the extraordinary, and often very ordinary worlds of New Zealand's transgender and gender-fluid communities.
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