Artists Keith and Tricia Morant Hosts Joint Art Exhibition
On 19th July, New Zealand international artist Keith Morant and his wife, Tricia, held a joint exhibition of their paintings and ceramics, His Painting - Her Pots, at Linwood Arts Eastside Art Gallery in Christchurch. Around 50 people from the art community and public were invited to attend, including artist Paul Deans, the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Christchurch staff represented by public relations officer Ryan Wang, staff Juin Mei and Toney Su.
Keith said in his opening speech that: "In this difficult time when the world is facing the impact of the pandemic, we hope to use the colors of our artwork to chase away the shadow of Covid-19. Only through love and support of others, can we overcome this difficult time. Thank you to all those attending, including the Linwood Arts Eastside Gallery, volunteers, and the long-standing team from Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Christchurch. Because of Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Auckland, my artwork will soon be exhibited at the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Headquarters, and I look forward to sharing my artwork with the people of Taiwan. Tricia also gave a speech expressing her delight at seeing the results of her hard work over the years, which has resulted in such an exciting art exhibition this time. Through her passion for creative art, she has been able to connect with the public and bring people from all walks of life closer together.
The highlight of the opening ceremony was the appearance of the Wizard Street artist. Dressed in Middle-earth attire, the Wizard attracted a lot of eyeballs, and the man is actually an old friend of Keith who liked to spread joy to all corners of society. Keith later introduced the main painting in the exhibition, MorantiVirus, a painting that acted as a prayer for an early end to the pandemic. Tricia’s main painting on the other hand was a pottery exhibit called Crazy Plate, something that came as a result of her years of dedication to ceramic making. The exhibition showcases some of their recent creative works, many which are more innovative and daring than their earlier pieces.
Ryan Wang congratulated Keith and Tricia on the successful opening of the exhibition. The couple were delighted to see the Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Christchurch staffs in attendance, thanking them and wishing that they pass on their appreciation to Venerable Abbess Manshin and Venerable Jue Xi. At the opening ceremony, Keith also recommended that people go check out the current The magnificent of Embroidery Exhibition display at Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Christchurch as it is a very professional art exhibit happening right in the heart of Christchurch. He also placed flyers around the venue to show his support for the embroidery exhibition.