DARRYN GEORGE – Mihi – 12 Aug-5 Sept 2025

Born and based in Ōtautahi, acclaimed artist Darryn George is of Ngāpuhi descent. His paintings reflect the breadth of his cultural roots, finding their anchorage in his Christian faith and his Māori heritage. He has primarily worked with geometric abstraction, often executed with immaculate finish, but over the past few years tones have undulated, texture has increasingly replaced smoothness, colours have brightened, illusory space has been suggested and abstraction has even given way to loose figuration. By pushing the boundaries of his methodology – particularly in the recent Garden of Eden series which were drawn in bright pastel across vibrant white canvas – he has opened the door to creative expansion and a new direction.

Earlier works leave their mark on future ones as, even when empty, the studio resounds with the memory of paintings past. In this new series Darryn George returns to structured formality yet brings the generative energy harnessed in the Garden of Eden works forward like a fresh breath of air. These beautifully-balanced geometric paintings have the controlled surfaces of his earlier works yet are alive with colour, pattern and rhythm.

The title of the show ‘Mihi’ translates as ‘tribute’ and each work is named after an important person in the artist’s life. Darryn George’s dynamic yet serene Tribute paintings are respectfully dedicated to hidden leaders:  “A big part of the stories and art of Māori culture is acknowledging those that have gone before us; those people from our past who have had an influence upon us. For me, these lovely people whom the paintings are named after, often went under the radar, but for me the seeds that they sowed were significant.”

 

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Darryn George has exhibited widely nationally and internationally, with major exhibitions at Te Papa Tongarewa, Pataka Art and Museum, Christchurch Art Gallery, Wellington City Gallery and more. He has been the recipient of many awards and residencies with his work held in many public and private collections.