Ramp Gallery is the contemporary art space for the School of Media Arts at Wintec in Hamilton. Over the past thirteen years the gallery has presented experimental work by some of the country’s leading contemporary artists. The 2010 series of exhibitions began auspiciously with the opening of ‘Presence’ at 5.30 on Tuesday 16th March, featuring the work of kinetic sound artist Tony Nicholls.
Tony has been the resident technician for the Painting and Sculpture department at Wintec’s School of Media Arts for fourteen years. His sculptural work has steadily been gaining national renown, including an exhibition in conjunction with Len Lye at the Govett Brewster gallery in New Plymouth. This Ramp exhibition marks the completion of Tony’s Master of Arts degree and offers the opportunity for audiences to view his intricate inventions up close.
Tony makes contemporary sculptural work that references the world of international hi-end, hi-tec audio showrooms, but there is a twist. The speaker cabinets, with their elegant tardis quality, operate as machines that actually illustrate the physics of sound. Fine wires and wands attached to the speakers send vibrating patterns out into the sculptural space of the gallery.
Tony’s marriage of the skills from the domains of cabinet making, sound and engineering in the big square box of Ramp Gallery creates an absorbing zone of pure sound and kinetic response.
This immaculate show is a great start to the year at Ramp Gallery.
Ramp is open to the public and now offers extended hours on Saturday afternoons.
The exhibition opened Tuesday 16 March @ 5.30 and runs through to 6 April
Gallery opening hours Tuesday to Saturday 12pm-4pm
Ramp Gallery is situated on Collingwood St, Hamilton.
Website: http://ramp.mediarts.net.nz
Note: Ramp Gallery is a visual arts exhibition and research space for contemporary artists and is currently open to 2010 proposals. Contact Ramp Manager Stuart Shepherd for more details – stuart.shepherd@wintec.ac.nz.
