MAPPING THE PAST
NEW WORKS
MARK WOOLLER
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Mark Wooller shifts our gaze to the North Island, focusing on Auckland and its surrounding coastal regions and islands.
His latest works capture iconic elements of New Zealand’s diverse landscapes, from the towering kauri of Northland and the shimmering waters of the Hauraki Gulf to the rugged beauty of Waiheke Island and the expansive vistas of the Waitematā Harbour. Wooller’s canvases are layered with both topography and typography. By integrating written place names, he weaves rich narratives tied to the land. As noted in Nga Tohu Pumuhara—a key reference text from the New Zealand Geographic Board—place names carry deep meaning and memory, signposting the human connection to the landscape. A single name can hold and reveal entire histories. A defining feature of Wooller’s work is the use of the grid, evident in Sixteen Northland Kauri. This structured composition represents travel, the passage of time, and the movements of people—along with their lasting impact on the land and its history. Beyond his textual references, Wooller’s paintings stand out for their semi-surreal, meticulously detailed approach to depicting the landscape. Cloaking the land in dense, primeval foliage, he transports the viewer to a time before human intervention—an era of untouched wilderness. Up the Garden Path, explores history, memory, and human influence on the land. The swirling path through a cultivated garden contrasts with Wooller's usual untamed landscapes, highlighting the tension between nature and intervention. The title’s double meaning—both a literal garden path and the phrase for deception—suggests how narratives of place and history can be shaped, leading us somewhere unexpected. Through this latest series, Wooller invites us to reflect on the past, tracing the evolution of New Zealand’s landscapes through the shared lens of time, change, and appreciation. |
CATALOGUE
Mark Wooller
Grove, Waitemata Oil on Canvas 950 x 950mm 2025 |
Mark Wooller
Sixteen Northland Kauri Oil on Canvas 950 x 950mm 2025 |
Mark Wooller
Up the Garden Path Oil on Canvas 800 x 800mm 2025 |
Mark Wooller
Kauri Point, Waiheke Oil on Canvas 1000 x 1150mm 2025 |
Mark Wooller
Islands, Hauraki Gulf Oil on Canvas 1200 x 1000mm 2025 |
