'Kōura papatea / spiny rock lobster MK5', Ink on cotton archival grade paper, 2023. Courtesy of Tim Li
Photo Credit
Portraits from the Deep showcases a collection of illustrations and gyotaku prints by Kāpiti based artist Tim Li.
From the humble kina to macabre creatures of the darkest depths, Tim’s work forces us to slow down and appreciate the aesthetic grandeur of our marine taonga. In an age where everything is seen through a filter, the ocean’s inhabitants aren’t something you can simply experience through social media and the bombardment of fast imagery we are so privy to. You have to immerse yourself in Tangaroa’s world to truly appreciate the beauty and complexity of our endemic marine species.
Tim’s honest, meticulous and truthful representations are offered as an antidote to a growing brag-culture egged on by social media. Too often, publicly shared images of fish are deconstructed into objects of status, or ego-baiting. Tim offers these precise, magnified representations as objects of fascination; to be admired and appreciated with a botanical reverence. Nature here is returned to a space beyond kill-culture. If art can be said to save lives, Tim’s work opens conversations of sustainability, resource management, respectful practices and even gratitude.
Each individually honed piece is a monument to the ocean, and a challenge to the “plenty more fish in the sea” mindset. Rare, treasurable and revered are truer descriptions of both the ocean and Tim’s work.
Tim will be giving a gyotaku demonstration and artist talk at the exhibition opening. This is a great opportunity to meet our exhibiting artist and enjoy some lovely refreshments courtesy of our hospitality partners.
Portraits from the Deep showcases a collection of illustrations and gyotaku prints by Kāpiti based artist Tim Li.
From the humble kina to macabre creatures of the darkest depths, Tim’s work forces us to slow down and appreciate the aesthetic grandeur of our marine taonga. In an age where everything is seen through a filter, the ocean’s inhabitants aren’t something you can simply experience through social media and the bombardment of fast imagery we are so privy to. You have to immerse yourself in Tangaroa’s world to truly appreciate the beauty and complexity of our endemic marine species.
Tim’s honest, meticulous and truthful representations are offered as an antidote to a growing brag-culture egged on by social media. Too often, publicly shared images of fish are deconstructed into objects of status, or ego-baiting. Tim offers these precise, magnified representations as objects of fascination; to be admired and appreciated with a botanical reverence. Nature here is returned to a space beyond kill-culture. If art can be said to save lives, Tim’s work opens conversations of sustainability, resource management, respectful practices and even gratitude.
Each individually honed piece is a monument to the ocean, and a challenge to the “plenty more fish in the sea” mindset. Rare, treasurable and revered are truer descriptions of both the ocean and Tim’s work.
Tim will be giving a gyotaku demonstration and artist talk at the exhibition opening. This is a great opportunity to meet our exhibiting artist and enjoy some lovely refreshments courtesy of our hospitality partners.
