Photo exhibitions of any kind are all too rare an event in NZ, the harsh reality is the art of photography is still met with a frosty reaction by many gallery curators. That’s not to say the curators are nasty people, they are simply savvy business people who know their market, paintings sell, but I can’t help but think it’s a chicken and egg situation - if you can’t find a place to exhibit- well how are people going to view the work to buy it? Compound this with the subject of surfing and waves well; you’re pushing shit uphill with a pitch fork. I have come up against this resistance myself when I was trying to find an art space for the launch and exhibition of my book Beached As. Knowing how well surfing art and photography exhibitions are received internationally it could easily become frustrating but I guess it comes down to the ol’ percentages of population base....love our uncrowded surf, but here’s a trade off huh?

So when Rowan Klevstul told me about his plans to exhibit nearly a year, I was tremendously positive and stoked he was leading the charge, but also well aware he was going to be selling to a tough market, abstract shots of waves is a big ask. Fortunately there is a glimmer of light here in Auckland - Devonport’s Depot Artspace has been hugely proactive over the last few years in supporting Board Culture art, Tim Peirce, arguably NZ’s leading snow photographer exhibited there, I held the aforementioned Beached As Book Launch/exhibition here. [Still so fricken stoked on the sales from that event!] More recently Piha resident and surfer Carrie Ade exhibited her series of West Coast paintings and now its Rowan’s turn.

Rowan’s photographic exhibition ‘Wet Colour’ is an exploration into light-play on water...f*ck that reads high brow aye!!! Nah - what I mean is Rowan’s spent the last 2 years working on this series, the former senior contributor for NZ Surfing Mag and Editor of 09 magazine, has broken his surf photography down to its elements- articulate studies of light reflected off a wave and the search for different waves and angles. He’s been on a quest for the perfect wave form with a twist, he’s included bonsai waves- yep those teeny weeny perfect waves you might see coming off a boat wake - or a perfect ground hitting a perfect reef but its only 6 inches - well Rowan’s captured these with an emphasis on the light values. It’s a 50/50 mix of spectacular West Coast power detonations and East Coast perfection - the constant is the study of how light is reflected off these momentary formations.

Presentation is, of course, everything. And Rowan has nailed it, contemporary big white on white framed glossy art prints, [where in some cases, the subject is actually double life-size] take up the feature wall in the main room of the Depot, across the back wall are smaller frames in the same style, move clockwise and the next wall feature Rowan’s driftwood presentations - of which 75% have already sold, the next wall features older studies including Samoan liquid treats, and finally back to the entrance and a wall of matted prints but there are no repeats - it’s about here you realise Rowan’s been a busy man over the last few years and this exhibition has come at a significant personal investment with over 30 different images on show.

Wet Colour opened on January 15 and due the popularity of the exhibition the Depot has extended until February 10. Nearly 50% of the works have sold which kind of disproves the nay saying gallery curators aye! Please go, enjoy some simply stunning pieces of work and hey, even maybe support a NZ photographer’s craft by falling in love with an image you know will look perfect in your home. Check the Depot Artspace website www.depotartspace.co.nz location and opening hours.

03:42 pm

will there be any wet t-shirt photos??

- Posted by Tutu

08:53 pm

Will go and check it out this weekend for sure.. looks awesome. I agree with your chicken and egg comments.. if people can't see it how can they buy it. Combine that with kiwi's love of the ocean I can't see why photos like these can't adorn the walls of homes and batches through out the country.

- Posted by Paul Grey

05:18 pm

I have been following Rowan Klevstul's work for a while now. He is a truly accomplished photographer with an incredible eye.Watch out for this guy; he will be one of the greats!

- Posted by Pammy