Brett a'Court

Last updated

Brett Ramon a'Court
Born (1968-03-15) 15 March 1968 (age 56)
Christchurch, New Zealand
Education Glendowie College
OccupationArtist
Known forPainting
SpouseRachel a'Court
Children2
Website http://www.brettacourt.com/

Brett a'Court (born 1968) is a New Zealand artist who has lived and painted in Waipu, Northland since 1995, and exhibits regularly in New Zealand, including 12 solo exhibitions between 2002 and 2024. His work can be found in both private and public collections throughout the country.

Contents

Early life

A'Court was born in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1968, and went to school in the Auckland suburb of Glendowie. He moved to rural, coastal Waipu in 1995 after he married, and worked in ceramics and painted, mostly in oils. [1] [2]

Work

A'Court's first solo show was called Lectio Divina, and was exhibited at the Letham Gallery, in Ponsonby, Auckland in 2002. It sold well and he left his ceramics job to paint full time. [1]

A'Court struggled financially for the next four years. He said as a Christian he trusted in God, and channelled his fears and sacrifices into his work. Influenced by Colin McCahon's major works, Renaissance icons and other iconography, a'Court looked at the human figure and beyond to our "spiritual anatomy", he sold some pieces, and created his second solo exhibition, Lingua Sacra, shown at a former church hall in the Parnell Community Centre, Auckland in 2006. The work was noted for its darkness and theme of sexuality colliding with the spiritual. [1] [3]

Some art galleries and reviewers struggled with the sexual Christian content and complexity of a'Court's 2008 Do Not Fear solo show at the Wallace Gallery, Auckland. Others were more comfortable with the simpler, contemporary Christian mysticism found in his 2008 Beyond the religious image show, also at the Wallace Gallery. In this work a'Court sought to extend the "spiritual truths" he saw uncovered by McCahon. [1] [4]

A'Court's 2007 oil on canvas, Manu-Kahu, referring to the New Zealand harrier hawk which is connected to the divine by Māori, received praise for combining traditional European-style Christian imagery with Māori indigenous forms and McCahon-style speech bubbles. [5]

In 2018, his first Northland solo show, Sheep, goats and other introduced spirits, at Whangārei's Hangar Gallery, a'Court continued his complex blending of Christian iconography with his life as a contemporary, rural Pākehā New Zealander, depicting the land, colonisation, introduced animals, human anatomy, and the tradition of vanitas. [6]

A'Court was runner-up and winner of the Hugo Charitable Trust Award in Waikato Museum's 2021 National Contemporary Art Award, for Rua Kēnana and Pinepine Te Rika’s descent from Mt Maungapōhatu, which depicts the historical Māori prophet Rua Kēnana and his wife Pinepine Te Rika at the sacred mountain in Te Urewera. [7] [8]

In his 2022 solo show, Shadow of the Epiphany, also at the Hangar Gallery, a'Court continued to explore Christian mysticism and iconography, incorporating his research into the histories of Māori prophets from the Taranaki region's Ringatu and Ratana movements, and others. Many of the works were painted on stretched woollen blankets, which reference British colonisation's "disease, infestation, inequity, technology, trade, but also warmth and comfort". [9]

A’Court’s 2024 solo exhibition Kings, Saints and Prophets – Kingi, Hunga, Tapu me nga Poropiti was made up of 11 woollen blanket portraits of historic Māori prophets and leaders, and explored their inner lives that were shaped by traditional and Christian principles, and their service to people through peace, love and reconciliation. [10]

Personal life

A'Court has lived at his home studio in Waipu, with his wife Rachel, since they married in 1995. They have two children. [1] [11]

Collections and awards

Exhibitions

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Crothall, Peter (June 2008). "The CS Arts magazine: and interview with Brett a'Court". www.cs.org.nz. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Brett a'Court". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Spiritual anatomy laid bare in art". NZ Herald. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  4. ↑ Hannah, Kate (October 2008). "Do Not Fear, Brett a'Court". CS Arts (31): 45.
  5. ↑ "ArtWay.eu". www.artway.eu. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 "Paintings about life and death". NZ Herald. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  7. 1 2 "National Contemporary Art Award 2021 - Waikato Museum". waikatomuseum.co.nz. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  8. ↑ "Hamilton's National Contemporary Art Award – EyeContact". eyecontactmagazine.com. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Shadow of the Epiphany". Hangar Art and Framing. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  10. ↑ "Satellite2 Presents, Brett a'Court Kings, Saints and Prophets – Kingi, Hunga, Tapu me nga Poropiti". Ponsonby News. October 2024: 77. 26 October 2024.
  11. ↑ "BRETT A'COURT - MEDIA". www.brettacourt.com. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "Brett a'Court". Chambers Art Gallery. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  13. ↑ "Brett A'COURT". Wallace Arts Trust Collection Online. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  14. ↑ "National Contemporary Art Award 2022 - Waikato Museum". waikatomuseum.co.nz. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  15. ↑ "Painting & Drawing Finalists 2023". Molly Morpeth Canaday Award. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  16. ↑ "ARTISTS 2023". Craigs Aspiring Art Prize. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
  17. ↑ "2023 NZ Painting and Printmaking Awards - Waikato Society of Arts". wsa.org.nz. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
  18. ↑ "National Contemporary Art Award - Waikato Museum". www.waikatomuseum.co.nz. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "WINNERS". Craigs Aspiring Art Prize. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  20. ↑ "Walker & Hall Waiheke Art Award 2024 | Waiheke Community Art Gallery". waihekeartgallery.org.nz. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  21. ↑ "2025 NZPPA | Waikato Society of Arts". wsa.org.nz. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
  22. ↑ "INZART - Libraries and Learning Services - The University of Auckland". collections.library.auckland.ac.nz. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  23. ↑ "Brett a'Court". www.satellitegallery.co.nz. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  24. ↑ "The Crucifixion Show - In respect and response". The Big Idea. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  25. ↑ "Brett A'Court: Visions of Reality - Depot Artspace" . Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  26. ↑ zimmerman (31 March 2022). "Zimmerman Art Gallery - April 2022 - HUIA: a group exhibition". zimmerman.co.nz. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  27. 1 2 "Brett a'Court". Boyd-Dunlop Gallery. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  28. ↑ zimmerman (3 August 2022). "Zimmerman Art Gallery - August 2022 - BONES - a group exhibition". www.zimmerman.co.nz. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  29. ↑ "Works - Brett a'Court: Redemption Songs". Scott Lawrie Gallery. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  30. ↑ "Zimmerman Art Gallery - Exhibitions". www.zimmerman.co.nz. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  31. ↑ Scott LawrieGallery, Brett a'Court: Two Prophets, Two Angels, 20 May – 10 June 2023, Exhibition Overview & Price List
  32. ↑ zimmerman (31 January 2024). "Zimmerman Art Gallery - DEEP - a group exhibition". www.zimmerman.co.nz. Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  33. ↑ zimmerman (4 September 2024). "Zimmerman Art Gallery - September 2024 - "UP" - a group exhibition". zimmerman.co.nz. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
  34. ↑ "Brett a'Court". SATELLITE2. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
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