1st floor, 55 Abel Smith St, Wellington
(above Real Groovy)
Opening Hours
Wed, Fri, Sat: 11am - 5pm
Thurs: 11am - 6pm
ROAR! gallery is New Zealand’s first gallery to promote Outsider Art. This is a notoriously slippery concept, long debated by theorists, writers, curators and enthusiasts. ROAR! gallery doesn’t claim to have a definitive answer, but rather aims to facilitate an ongoing conversation and debate fired by shows and a vibrant public programme. We see part of our role as providing a space where the artists can also have a voice in the debate, by showing work which explores the definition of what Outsider Art can be.
Our History . . .
ROAR! gallery officially opened in November 2002 as a development and re-branding of Pablos Art Gallery (established along with the studio in 1993). The re-branding established a more independent gallery that could promote a genre of art and artists and a certain philosophy about art and its creation, rather than a particular studio. It was no longer a requirement that artists who exhibited in the Gallery were members of Pablos Art Studio, or be mental health consumers, however the change was not seen to compromise our support for artists living with a mental illness. In fact it improved our ability to promote their work by presenting them in an integrated and progressive context.
Our Aims . . .
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work with and promote artworks by both local and national artists who would otherwise have limited access to traditional/current galleries
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be open to represent artists who identify themselves with the concept of outsider art and continue to showcase the art from Pablos Art Studio
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encourage and support art produced, outside the ‘establishment’ and/or on the ‘margins’ of society
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to lead the way in defining, supporting and evolving outsider art
Our Future! . . .
We are interested in work which explores people’s stories. This may be individual life experiences or perspectives, visionary work or work with a cultural or spiritual motivation. Outsider art can also come from people who may have trained in an art field, but have for some reason wandered off the beaten track and further into work which gains meaning through their own world view or logic rather than externally set values. We also show work which does not fit into the traditional art category, such as craft, which historically has been bound up in groups collective histories.
And we are learning too. When we say active debate, we mean it! Challenge us; bring us something different, something new, something odd, something true (to you).
We are interested in installation work, three-dimensional, multi-media, sculptural, collaborative projects, work which goes inside, outside, dolls, textiles, environmental alterations, domestic interventions … because Outsider Art is work which is made from the individual perspective and world view, the definition in terms of form and materials is as wide as the breadth of your imagination.
To discuss shows and possibilities, please contact;
Gallery Manager, ROAR! gallery