(b. 1957)
Three Stories (Nocturnal Bay Series #3) 2016
Charcoal, polymer ink, pigment and wax on paper
690mm x 880mm (framed)
James Ormsby (MFA, RMIT Melbourne) works from his family home in the Bay of Plenty and is of Ngati Maniapoto, Tainui, Te Arawa and Scottish descent. James has participated in both local and international group exhibitions including Tu: A Place To Stand, Tauranga Art Gallery in 2018 and his work can be found in numerous public collections including Te Papa Tongarewa and The Wallace Trust Art Collection; and private collections throughout New Zealand and overseas. He has been a finalist in both the National Contemporary Art Awards, the Wallace Art Awards as well as the New Zealand Painting and Printmaking Awards.
Drawing is a passion for James Ormsby. He carries out a huge amount of historical research and questions the significance of the visual symbols his ancestors chose to depict. Mapping a diverse collection of motifs, symbols and iconography he explores issues of whenua, whakapapa and personal belief systems. Three Stories references
• Pukehinahina – a recent history,
• Omanu – a spoken past, and
• Mauao – an ancient myth
You can learn more about this artist at: www.jamesormsby.com
Artwork commissioned in 2016 by the Chrysalis Collection