Rita Angus: Life and Vision

I finally went to the Rita Angus exhibtion at The Papa. I'm still processing it all and will need to go a few more times, probably take the curator's tour. But here are a few random observations:

Rutu (1951) is without a doubt, a masterpiece: the composition, the intensity of the colours, the "new-zealandness", the whole concept behind it, lift it above everything else she's done.



Overall, her watercolors impress me more than anything else. Both the landscapes...



... and, perhaps even more, her still natures and flowers:



I wish she had developed more the "woman alone mythology", which is so beautifully embodied in this portrait of Marjorie Marshall:



I still don't like her later works - the abstracts, the oils heavy on symbolism - some of which are almost embarassing (especially Journey, Wellington).

Glorious sunny day and half Wellington was there: social event of the year, apparently.