ALL: Master Collection List
Nationality
New Zealander
Preview
Date of Work
mid 90s
Medium
Oil on canvas
Height
36"
Width
28"
Collection/Provenance
Art & Design Study Collection
Status
On display: Second floor
Location
Memorial Union
Artist Bio
James Asiata was a graduate student from New Zealand who attended UND in the 90s. His paintings utilize the styles of Abstract Expressionism with an emphasis on brush stroke and color.
Additional Information
Student composed text panel:
James Asiata (New Zealander)
Untitled, ca. 1996
Oil on canvas
UND Art Collections: Art and Design Study Collection
Purchased with funds from the Myers Foundations.
James Asiata attended the University of North Dakota in the 1990s. He was a graduate student from New Zealand whose work was inspired by abstract expressionist movement. He enjoyed the challenge of creating art in different styles and using color in interesting ways.
In this piece, we see a woman sitting at a table or desk that is seemingly in the middle of a field. The scenery is very familiar to us in the Midwest, rolling fields with varying shades of green. We cannot see what the woman is looking at, she may be watching over her children as they play, enjoying some peace and quiet after a long day, or perhaps she’s daydreaming of being somewhere else while at work or school.
From the exhibition poster:
"My landscape paintings are based on a series of things I've encountered in Grand Forks, ND. Surprisingly enough, I was confronted with the view of a different kind. unlike the landscapes in New Zealand of mountains, winding roads, the ocean and high skies scrapers, Grand Forks presented the challenging idea to emphasize the extremities of high skyline, low horizons propped against distant grain elevators, trees, invest fields of vegetation.
Utilizing the elements in the principles of design, I have created various scenes to represent atmosphere, light mood, emphasizing of brush stroke, texture, and the luminosity of color. Although these are traits used by artists of the Impressionistic Period, I have learned to develop the ability to see nature as a colorist.
Further evaluation on my beliefs as an artist has led me to look up on the various styles of Abstract Expressionism. In contrast to color, the introduction of geometry overlapping my landscapes is the way I view Grand Forks. Extremely horizontal and vertical. This abstraction emanates a style that is obvious and tangible. My adopted style continues to progress in the experience, in the development and in the problem solving. My aim is to characterize nature, color and abstraction, in painting the landscape."
LANDSCAPES, An exhibition of paintings by James Asiata. August 12-22, 1996, Reception: Monday August 12th, 7:00pm-9:00pm, Hughes Fine Arts Center Gallery- University of North Dakota- Grand Forks, North Dakota
Condition
Excellent
Rights
Images are provided for educational purposes only and may not be reproduced for commercial use. Images may be protected by artist copyright. A credit line is required to be used for any public non-commercial educational purpose. The credit line must include, “Image courtesy of the University of North Dakota.”