Scott Lawrie Gallery has made a little bit of history by representing Ara Dolatian in New Zealand – as he’s the gallery’s first ever ceramic artist.

Melbourne based, Ara brings a unique blend of international experience and rich cultural perspectives to his work. Part of the Armenian diaspora, Ara’s family settled in Baghdad, then to Amman in Jordan, before finally living and working in Melbourne.

Gallery Director Scott Lawrie explains what drew him to Ara’s work; “I was immediately drawn to Ara’s practice, which transfixed my eyes and blew my mind with its post-Punk, deconstructed, formalist-smashing visual resonance. They’re powerful and crazily bold, but still maintain a beautiful quality through their construction, composition and technique. They feel to me like magical amulets from some forgotten realm, perhaps an acknowledgement of cultures lost and dispossessed – work that is, in and of itself, formed by the struggle for identity through self-expression.”

Ara’s first New Zealand solo show will be next year, so watch this space!

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