b'paints changing facecolour | texture | designIts easy to forget that paint as we know it today is a relatively modern invention. For artists and homeowners alike, paint as we know ittodayhasnotalwaysbeensoreadilyaccessible. Colours were limited and formulations were basic. That all changed around the middle of last century and in an example of industry affecting art, a number of local artists began dabbling with the cement-based paint that Resene Paints founder Ted Nightingale had begun making in his Wellington garage in 1946.The emergence and influence of modern paints has been documented and celebrated by an exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery. Opened in April this year, Modern Paints Aotearoa offers a unique insight into the imagination, innovation and sheer resourcefulness of major New Zealand art names of the 20th century, includingthelegendaryColinMcCahon,Gretchen Albrecht and Ralph Hotere.Earlierartistswerelimitedbythecoloursand texturesofmediumsinexistenceatthetime:for example, the medieval era, when only natural pigments andbasichandmadepaintswereavailable.While various advances occurred along the way, last centuryThesenewpaintshaddifferentqualitiestoAbove: Early Resene paint in particular saw the introduction of myriad alternatives.traditional oils; they enabled artists to break away fromcans and colour charts.These were embraced with huge enthusiasm locally. past traditionssomething that was already happeningLeft: Artworks in the AucklandArtGalleryprincipalconservatorandinternationally and they were cheaper and more readilyexhibition include Colin exhibition curator Sarah Hillary tells of one delightfulavailable than artist-quality paints.McCahons Northland older visitor who told of his own personal connectionSheexplainsthattheartiststhemselvesdidntpanels, 1958, from the with the then relatively unknown brand, Resene. always remember or note what medium theyd used atcollection of the Museum Heleftschoolat16andworkedforResene,the time, but there was definitely a move towardsof New Zealand Te Papa putting lids on paint tins. He said he was chuffed toexperimenting with general household paints duringTongarewa. see some old tins in the vitrine (glass showcase) andthe mid-20th centuryoften with the addition of evenwonderedifhedplacedthelidsonthoseother materials such as sand, which is something thatView an archive of old particular ones! McCahon liked to do. Resene colour chartsAhugeamountofresearchunderpinnedtheIdentifyingtheactualpaintandotherartistsonline at www.resene.com/ curation of Modern Paints Aotearoa. Some visitorsmaterials might not seem important on the face of it,colour-archive. mentioned that until watching the videos weve putbut to conservators it is absolutely vital. together,theyhadpreviouslyhadnoideathatartWhileoverseasartistswereusingacrylicsinthe conservation is technicaland that conservators are1960s, Sarah says most local artists were using PVA. actually scientists, smiles Sarah. There has been a great deal of research into the cleaning of acrylics, but not PVAs. We know that they are not as durable so great care is required.As well as admiring and appreciating the paintings, visitors to Modern Paints Aotearoa can also see theResenewell-usedpaintbrushesofRalphHotereandreadRagamuffin Be creative in ways never before possible by using wallpaper to transform your interior spaces.Colin McCahons original correspondence about hisResene Wallpaper offers inspiration to match your imagination when it comes to making your house, your Northland panels, which are in the exhibition. ThereResolution Blueare also touch panels where a number of these artistshome.Dress up your walls and make them as unique as you are - new seasons collections like paint effects have been recreated. Retrospective, pictured above, are available now from all good wallpaper retailers, be inspired.The exhibition runs until March 2015 with variousReseneactivities and events planned. For more information,Intrepid For details of your nearest stockist just click to our website - aspiringwalls.co.nzvisit www.aucklandartgallery.com. wordsLouise Richardson36'