Len Lye Tangibles: 1959 - 1961

Tangibles: 1959-1961 is the first of two exhibitions presenting a chronological overview of Lye’s kinetic sculpture.

Acclaimed for his experimental cinema from the 1930s through to the 1950s, Len Lye largely abandoned filmmaking at the close of the 1950s to join a thriving kinetic art scene. This exhibition presents original and reconstructed works from this important phase of Lye’s career.

Exhibition
<i>Len Lye with Fountain, c. 1960.</i> Unknown photographer. Len Lye Foundation Collection, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.

Len Lye with Fountain, c. 1960.
Unknown photographer.
Len Lye Foundation Collection, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.

Len Lye: Sky Snakes

Never seen before, Len Lye's Sky Snake in installation of seven swirling Sky Snakes.

A new large-scale kinetic sculpture from the Len Lye Foundation and Team Zizz!
Sky Snake is a dancing kinetic sculpture. A rotating, spinning chain creates harmonic wave patterns or figures familiar to Lye's other works, and traveling waves that move up and down the chain. A brass ball at the bottom end of the chain represents the head of a snake.

Exhibition
Len Lye <i>Sky Snake</i> 1965 (reconstruction 2019). Courtesy the Len Lye Foundation Collection. Photo Francis Vissers

Len Lye Sky Snake 1965 (reconstruction 2019). Courtesy the Len Lye Foundation Collection. Photo Francis Vissers

What’s On

Courtesy Museum Tinguely, Photo: Nicolas Lieber

Courtesy Museum Tinguely, Photo: Nicolas Lieber

Evan Webb Special Tour

Courtesy Museum Tinguely, Photo: Nicolas Lieber

Courtesy Museum Tinguely, Photo: Nicolas Lieber

Sat 30 Jan 21 — Galleries 5 & 6, Upper and Lower Ramp

Hear from the director of the Len Lye Foundation, Evan Webb as he talks about, and underneath, Sky Snakes on the occasion of the Len Lye exhibition Tangibles: 1959-1961. Webb will also discuss a sketch of Lye’s yet-to-be-realised Storm Chamber, a large-scale work, comprising several other smaller ‘tangibles’ that the Foundation is planning to build.

Event Info

News

Gallery Director Announced

 Dr Zara Stanhope. Image courtesy of Zara

Dr Zara Stanhope has been announced by New Plymouth District Council as the next director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre.

A Taranaki Art Adventure

 Len Lye Centre / Govett-Brewster Art Gallery at dusk. Image credit: Sam Hartnett.

The Govett-Brewster Art Gallery / Len Lye Centre and a number of Taranaki’s top attractions have teamed up with the Auckland Art Fair 2021 as its exclusive Museum Partner.

To celebrate, we’ll be presenting an iconic Len Lye sculpture at the Fair on Auckland’s Waterfront from 24-28 February 2021, thanks to Technix Industries, and offering an exclusive Taranaki Art Adventure package available to Fair-goers.

Lens On Lye

 Len Lye, </i>A Colour Box</i>, 1935. Courtesy of the Len Lye Foundation and the British Postal Museum and Archive. From material preserved by the BFI National Archive and made available by Nga Taonga Sound & Vision.

Lens on Lye: Guest Spotlight on the pioneering artist and experimental filmmaker

Artists, experts, scholars, specialists and Len Lye film fans share their insights on the artist and filmmaker in this fortnightly series, Lens on Lye, inspired by the current exhibition The Absolute Truth of the Happiness Acid (6 Jun — 1 Nov 2020).

For our latest spotlight on Len Lye, jazz and visual media scholar Dr Nicolas Pillai, discusses Lye's synchronisation of music to the burst and swirls of colour in his direct films.

COVID-19 - Alert Level 2

 Len Lye's <i>Sky Snakes</i>. Photo Mark Dwyer

Kia ora koutou,

Following the Government’s announcement on the COVID-19 alert levels, and for the safety of our audiences, artists, staff and community, the Govett Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre will be moving into Alert Level 2 from midday today.

Read on to find out about the changes we have put in place, in order to remain open safely.

Please check our website for updates.

Lens on Lye

 <i>Free Radicals</i>, 1958, Len Lye. Courtesy of the Len Lye Foundation. From material preserved and made available by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Digital version by Park Road Post Production and Weta Digital Ltd.

Artists, experts, scholars, specialists and Len Lye film fans share their insights on the artist and filmmaker in this fortnightly series, Lens on Lye, inspired by the current exhibition 'The Absolute Truth of the Happiness Acid' (6 Jun — 1 Nov 2020).

This week’s blog comes from artist Anouk De Clercq, who transforms Len Lye’s lively, energetic scratch film 'Free Radicals' into poetic language, which seeks to create bodily empathy.

Candice Lin Speaks to Radio New Zealand's Standing Room Only

 Candice Lin, in her studio, Artist's own image

Ahead of their exhibition opening this Saturday 8 August, LA-based artist Candice Lin discusses how the themes in her collection, which looks at the history of plagues, viruses and blame, have been made uncannily relevant by current global events, on RNZ's Standing Room Only programme.

Digital Artist 'In Residence' Sorawit Songsataya

 Film Still courtesy of Sorawit Songsataya.

Our latest post from Govett-Brewster’s Artist ‘In Residence’ Sorawit Songsataya gives an immersive view into their forthcoming exhibition, which will open at the Gallery this coming weekend.

Songsataya is currently "in residence" at their home in Wellington, sharing insights into the development of their new project through the Govett-Brewster’s online platforms.

Lens On Lye

 <i>Rainbow Dance</i>, 1936, Len Lye. Courtesy of the British Post Office, Len Lye Foundation, Govett-Brewster Art Gallery and New Zealand Film Archive.

Artists, experts, scholars, specialists and Len Lye film fans will share their insights on the artist and experimental filmmaker in a brand new series coming to Instagram weekly, inspired by the current exhibition 'The Absolute Truth of the Happiness Acid' (6 Jun — 1 Nov 2020).

This week, curator Mark Williams recalls the extraordinary impact of a Len Lye film screening had on both himself and the fellow cinemagoers that filled the auditorium at the sold-out event, and why it is essential to support the creatives who make these moments possible.

Taranakite

 Taranakite sample from Parwan lava caves, Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia. Image source: https://rruff.info/Taranakite

Read the latest post by our current digital artist-in-residence, Sorawit Songsataya.

Over the next four weeks, the artist will be "in residence" at their home in Wellington, sharing insights into the development of their new project through the Govett-Brewster’s online platforms.

Look out on Instagram over the coming month as we reveal more.

Lens on Lye

 <i>Color Cry</i>, Len Lye, 1952. Courtesy of the Len Lye Foundation. From material preserved and made available by Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.

Artists, experts, scholars, specialists and Len Lye film fans will share their insights on the artist and experimental filmmaker in a brand new series coming to Instagram weekly, inspired by the current exhibition 'The Absolute Truth of the Happiness Acid' (6 Jun — 1 Nov 2020).

To launch this series, media scholar Alla Gadassik reminds us that Lye's work is not only to be seen or heard but to be felt and expressed (particularly in the body) and that by simply tuning in to the actual rhythmic and sensory effects, we achieve the same euphoric bliss as psychedelics.

Shop the
Govett-Brewster

Candice Lin: A Hard White Body

This publication showcases A Hard White Body, an evolving project by Candice Lin presented at Bétonsalon—Centre d'art et de recherche, Paris; at Portikus, Frankfurt/Main; and at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts, University of Chicago.

A Hard White Body weaves together material and nonhuman histories alongside the life and work of three historical figures: American writer James Baldwin (1924–1987); French explorer and global traveler Jeanne Baret (1740–1807); and artist and naturalist Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717).

$70.00

More info

Candice Lin: A Hard White Body Book - Front
Len Lye Centre

Follow us on Instagram