Attending Canterbury Art Society “Eclectic Art” Opening Ceremony
On the 28th of June, the opening ceremony for the ‘Eclectic Art‘ show organized by the Arts Canterbury was held at the Windsor Gallery in Christchurch. The ceremony was attended by Arts Canterbury President Wilson Henderson, The Morant Foundation’s founder Keith Morant, Banks Peninsula Ward Councillor and Deputy Mayor for Christchurch Andrew Turner, plus other artists and art enthusiasts making up about 40 people. The Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Christchurch was also invited to join, represented by Public Relations Vicky Han and Buddha’s Light International Association (BLIA) South Island New Zealand Vice President Lih-Son Ding.
The exhibition this time round was co-hosted by Arts Canterbury and the Morant Foundation, with a selection of 30 artists displaying 50 art pieces including those using oil, acrylic, charcoal and watercolour paints, as well as ceramic and fibreglass sculptures. Arts Canterbury President Wilson Henderson in his opening speech said that Arts Canterbury aims to promote the appreciation of visual art in Canterbury and support local artists in their work. He would like to thank the Morant Foundation and Windsor Gallery for their support in hosting the exhibition, allowing these masterpieces to be showcased to the public.
Keith Morant in his speech addressed the importance of art in people’s lives. He has personally endured the hardships and struggles faced by an artist, and it is with this understanding that makes him willing to work with Arts Canterbury to help other artists, encouraging them to discover their creativity and empowering them to achieve their dreams. Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner gave his blessings on behalf of the mayor Lianne Dalziel, to thank all the groups for their hard work in putting together this public exhibition. This joint exhibition allows the public of Christchurch to enjoy a wider variety of artwork, adding colour to the city. The city council has also outlined a new strategy for art in the city, with plans to develop more spaces for art in the rebuilding process.
At the end, Deputy Mayor Andrew Turner and artist Keith Morant issued “The Drawing Room Award”, the “Windsor Gallery Award”, “The Morant Foundation Award”, and the “Arts of Canterbury Award” to four artists, and with that the opening ceremony came to a close.