Depth of Fields

Building on her last Wellington exhibition Helen Keen’s latest collection of works, Depth of Fields, further explores her love of impressionism, combining a sense of nostalgia with her own contemporary approach to art making.

Preview 6 to 8pm, Thursday 7 March at Mitchell Studios gallery, 15 Ganges Road, Khandallah, Wellington.

Keen’s Encaustic works fuse hundreds of strokes in molten wax to form impressions of “floral fields” and landscapes. Refined colour palettes emerge through many layers of wax creating an ethereal haze as if the viewer is recalling a distant memory.

A further nod to the past are found in some of the pieces that incorporate small collaged portraits by master artists of the 1800-1900 period, such as Eva Gonzales, Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele and Petrus Christus. The portraits, previously front and centre in the original works, now recede in Keen’s compositions where they are obscured and partially hidden amongst the field of pixelated colour. The familiar women become mysterious and intriguing, gazing directly at the viewer through a veil of wax, inviting us to reimagine them, set in a new context of time and place.

“Essentially I consider myself a story teller exploring subtle nuances that unfold and reveal through time and observation.”

Originally an acclaimed ceramic artist, Helen Keen’s painting techniques emerged from this foundation. Developed over 35 years of arts practice, Keen manipulates texture using Encaustic Wax, mixed media, acrylic and oil, exploring abstraction, colour, gestures and mark making. Helen currently works from her home and studio in West Auckland. Keen aims to explode the senses with smell, touch and colour, She invites you to explore the intricacies of these open ended works, adding your own layers of narrative and emotion through your imagination.

Can’t make it to the Opening Preview on Thursday the 7th? We are delighted that Helen will be joining us in the gallery from 10am to 2pm on Friday 8th March. Stop by to connect with this lovely artist and learn about her fascinating practice.

The Depth of Fields catalogue will be available to view on the gallery's website following the opening preview.