Philippa Blair – AFLOAT – 9-27 July 2024

Four large paintings dominate this exhibition by esteemed artist Philippa Blair. These robust abstract works continue to forge paths into new compositional areas. Through them she is raw, playful, honest and curious. Each painting is a journey. Blair’s exhibiting career spans fifty years, both throughout New Zealand and on the international stage, and these paintings exhibit her depth as an artist.

A couple of weeks ago I had a conversation with Philippa. We talked about art and caught up on life. For both of us, these two things are very much intertwined. I had just got back from a short road trip in New South Wales with Nigel, and Philippa wanted to hear all about it. Our working relationship goes back to 1985 when I printed two of her lithographs. She was vivacious and energetic – a powerhouse – and, from my viewpoint, she was securely established in the art scene. (I was 23 and had yet to learn that security in the art world is a figment, as elusive as an apparition). Our relationship has morphed over time and I am very proud we now represent Philippa Blair at PG gallery192. ‘Afloat’ is her seventh solo show here. None of Philippa’s earlier energy has dissapated, indeed, I feel she is an artist at top of her game. These paintings are as strong as anything she has previously produced because, perhaps, they carry with them reflections from her whole career. Tracking and mapping are words she often uses in relation to her process and this brings me back to our conversation and the roadtrip in NSW.
More often than not, one crosses the Tasman to visit one of the big cities. But there is an enormous ancient continent over there. This time our objective was to dip, albeit fleetingly, into the hinterland beyond the Blue Mountains and sense the hugeness of the landmass stretching out. Philippa lived in Australia for a time, so she connected her memories with my descriptions of rocky outcrops, red earth, gum trees, birds, kangaroos and distant horizons. She wanted to know where we went each day. I would research on the internet, I said, study a map, and we would plan our next day’s excursion. I made sandwiches. With Nigel at the wheel and me navigating we drove along highways, byways and muddy, pot-holed back roads. More than once we were met with road closures and were forced to backtrack or divert. Along the way our memories were frequently sparked by some other place, some other time and we told each other stories. These stories interwove with the journey and became an indelible part of it.  While talking with Philippa about her new paintings, the road trip fresh in my mind, I saw parallels with her process. She often talks about the importance of structure as a start point and how the initial strong lines provide a framework on which she develops the work. For us, the map provided direction. For Philippa the underlying structure is like a map enabling the exploration of new terrain. Painting, for her, is experienced in the present tense with ideas, reflections, imagination and memory all rolling into the making. She concentrates on ‘being there’, paying attention to each incident and diverting the course when necessary. Every painting has the cohesion of a single multi-faceted journey and none can be entirely preplanned. Philippa Blair’s paintings are as complex as life.
Looking openly into an artwork takes us into parts of ourselves. Memory and imagination enter as quick as a flash. The artist’s intention provides a structure but the work comes to life in the eye of the beholder. Philippa Blair’s paintings map terrain but we make the journey ourselves.
– Marian Maguire