ARTISTS
WHAT NEXT
Why pay attention?
The 2013 graduate show at Auckland University of
Technology (AUT), confirmed that Masters student
Rohan Hartley Mills was an artist to watch. Not
only were all but two of his works bought by AUT,
his art caught the eye of Jenny Todd, director of
one of New Zealand’s top contemporary galleries
Two Rooms. Mills was subsequently curated into
two groups shows – including one with acclaimed
artist Gretchen Albrecht – and has since picked up
formal representation with the gallery. His works
have since been collected by The Wallace Arts Trust
as well as private collectors.What does he do?
Mills’ work is predominantly oil on canvas abstract
painting. In order to refine his process, he starts
in the studio with drawing studies on paper, also
making three-dimensional work using wood, plastic
or cloth.1.// Rohan Hartley Mills, Straight to Video,- Oil on canvas, 55.5 x 45cm.
2.// Rohan Hartley Mills, Tobacco Pink Painting, - Oil on canvas, 44.5 x 36.5cm.
3.// Rohan Hartley Mills, Golden Lifestyle
Painting, 2017. Oil on canvas, diptych,
70 x 45.5cm.
COURTESY: THE ARTIST AND TWO ROOMS, AUCKLAND
What’s going on?
Mills is an exponent of the current trend towards
provisional painting. The artist wants to challenge the
way the viewer reads an abstract work. Todd explains:
“It feels like the paintings are not quite finished, that
they are in the middle of a dialogue; a simple line
opens up in the painting and there is often humour.”The artist says...
“My works can be difficult to respond to at first, due to
their minimal or provisional appearance. However, on
closer inspection, the viewer is rewarded by the small
subtleties and gestures that begin to open up a whole
new language into reading a painting. As much as the
viewer looks at the painting, my paintings also look
back at the viewer, with all these questions around the
object and artist’s intention.” Helen McKenzie❱TWO ROOMS, AUCKLAND, PRESENTS WORK BY
ROHAN HARTLEY MILLS AT AAF 2018, STAND B1.1 2ROHAN HARTLEY MILLS