Gordon Walters

Admittedly, before moving to Auckland, I didn’t know many famous New Zealanders. As a scientist, I could name Rutherford, although I thought he was British before visiting Nelson in 2012. And Sir Edmund Hillary of course. Ah, and Kiri Te Kanawa. One year after arriving, I’ve discovered a few more. The last of the them was this Sunday.

Every weekday, I walk to work on Ponsonby road, and my eyes are systematically caught by the window of a shop selling NZ-made objects, exposing some kind of cloth with intriguing geometric patterns. So regular, yet with random variations that play with your brain.

It took a visit to the Auckland Art Gallery, to discover that this was the work of Gordon Walters (1919-1995), a Wellington-born artist. Fascinating temporary exhibition!

Let’s not forget a visit to the gift shop