Fingers Pointing to the Moon 2, 2022, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 1015mm x 910mm
Photo Credit
‘But none of these paths or methods encapsulates God. And none is better than the others. The paths are simply fingers pointing at the moon, rafts across the ocean of suffering. God is the sea’.[1]
“I have thought about this passage a lot during the past year, while sitting out in the ocean on my surfboard in the cold light of a winter’s dawn, watching the colours change and the sun breach the horizon. I have always lived a life in search of purpose and deeper truths, led by a fervent desire to find meaning in mortality. This desire has directed me towards the arts and the ocean; attempting to dissolve into something infinitely larger than myself” S. Gardiner
Scott Gardiner (b.1975) is known for his evocative multimedia paintings that incorporate pigment, ink prints and acrylics on canvas. Presenting collage-like abstract compositions the artist reveals his passion for the natural world, and subsequent exploration into the sublime.
A passionate surfer Gardiner spends a large amount of his life on the water, gazing at the various vistas that the sky and surf have to offer at different times of day. This connection with the natural world has informed Gardiner’s ongoing artistic practice. The artist strives to capture the vast and imposing potential of the ocean, evoking a sense of existentialism and a continued search for meaning.
Fingers Pointing at the Moon presents a new body of work that is a shift away from the artist’s previous oeuvre. Instead of geometric forms laid over vast seascapes the artist is presenting a group of more obscure and subtle expressions. Each canvas presents soft gradients of colour, which can be viewed as expansive panoramas where sea and sky merge and subtleties of light are captured.
The tree forms employed in these abstractions are both a compositional tool and a symbolic reference to transformation. They can be viewed as a memento mori; losing their leaves for the onset of winter, or conversely; new life and the coming of spring.
These transient moments in the seasons have provided the artist with a deep spiritual awareness and are a constant source of inspiration. Moreover, it has been a source of solace and comfort during difficult times in the artist’s life.
“I am interested in those moments of transcendence, whether coming in front of a painting or on a surfboard as the light shifts from blue to black. These paintings operate in those precious moments, attempting somehow to elongate this contemplative space and trap time within a painted frame.”
[1] J. Yogis, All Our Waves Are Water, 2017
Opening Hours
- Monday - Friday, 10am - 6pm
- Saturday - Sunday, 10am - 4pm
Address
- Osborne Lane, 2 Kent Street
- Newmarket
- Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, 1023
‘But none of these paths or methods encapsulates God. And none is better than the others. The paths are simply fingers pointing at the moon, rafts across the ocean of suffering. God is the sea’.[1]
“I have thought about this passage a lot during the past year, while sitting out in the ocean on my surfboard in the cold light of a winter’s dawn, watching the colours change and the sun breach the horizon. I have always lived a life in search of purpose and deeper truths, led by a fervent desire to find meaning in mortality. This desire has directed me towards the arts and the ocean; attempting to dissolve into something infinitely larger than myself” S. Gardiner
Scott Gardiner (b.1975) is known for his evocative multimedia paintings that incorporate pigment, ink prints and acrylics on canvas. Presenting collage-like abstract compositions the artist reveals his passion for the natural world, and subsequent exploration into the sublime.
A passionate surfer Gardiner spends a large amount of his life on the water, gazing at the various vistas that the sky and surf have to offer at different times of day. This connection with the natural world has informed Gardiner’s ongoing artistic practice. The artist strives to capture the vast and imposing potential of the ocean, evoking a sense of existentialism and a continued search for meaning.
Fingers Pointing at the Moon presents a new body of work that is a shift away from the artist’s previous oeuvre. Instead of geometric forms laid over vast seascapes the artist is presenting a group of more obscure and subtle expressions. Each canvas presents soft gradients of colour, which can be viewed as expansive panoramas where sea and sky merge and subtleties of light are captured.
The tree forms employed in these abstractions are both a compositional tool and a symbolic reference to transformation. They can be viewed as a memento mori; losing their leaves for the onset of winter, or conversely; new life and the coming of spring.
These transient moments in the seasons have provided the artist with a deep spiritual awareness and are a constant source of inspiration. Moreover, it has been a source of solace and comfort during difficult times in the artist’s life.
“I am interested in those moments of transcendence, whether coming in front of a painting or on a surfboard as the light shifts from blue to black. These paintings operate in those precious moments, attempting somehow to elongate this contemplative space and trap time within a painted frame.”
[1] J. Yogis, All Our Waves Are Water, 2017
