Joshua McMillan - Printmaker
"I have used golden colors of sepia, sanguine and yellow ochre, to capture the earthy luminous glow of the south. A transparent tapa-like vapor creates a subtle background for my images.
Landscapes and symbols are broken down into silhouetted forms. These act as icons similar to styles used in pacific tapa-cloth. My prints are about my journeys, thoughts and experiences throughout Southland, Otago and the Pacific. I have used complimentary imagery, inspired from my Cook Island Heritage and from my experience of living in the South. Important icons in each place, the tuatara and the turtle have comparable characteristics. I have used the coconut tree and the cabbage tree or punga tree, also to create a comparison to cultures. My compositions are broken into panoramic window frames, inviting a view of my Bi-culture.
By fusing elements from my Cook Island and New Zealand heritage, I aim to create a harmonious new story of our ever-changing and diverse culture, through the art of printmaking."
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