From 15 to 30 October Limn Gallery will present ‘Urban Exposure’, a series of mixed media works by Kiwi artist, ‘RUSH’ (Rachel Rush).
Urban Exposure’ aims to expose the rawness of graffiti, a suggestion of the grittiness of the street, and is aimed to disturb the correctness of city and society.
In the lead-up to Rush's upcoming solo show at Limn Gallery (119 Ponsonby Road) we sat down with Rachel to chat about the art, her inspiration, and plans for the future.
Can you describe the process of creating your work?
It all starts with the development of a freestyle abstract colour creation with spray cans, then assigning them a personality and layering up the stencils. Once that process is complete, they move to a separate studio and have all the ‘sass’ added to them, then a layer of clear resin to make it all pop!
What is your inspiration behind your work?
I have always been obsessed with the electric colour and vibe from street art around the world. I recently revisited DeGraves Street in Melbourne, and it’s that kind of space that I find absolutely captivating. I love using spray cans for their finish, coverage, colour and speed at being able to work my ideas out from my imagination. RUSH is all about capturing a segment of what you might imagine to be full scale mural on the street into a piece of art that you can have in your home, but maintaining the grit and energy from the street.
Can you talk about any exciting components of your upcoming show?
Between Limn Gallery and myself, we have come up with some pretty exciting elements that I’m super excited about getting my spray cans on! There will be several of these items unveiled during the show, and I’ll keep them a secret for now, but suffice to say I really want one myself! Working with Limn Gallery is just fantastic; they are as passionate about art as I am and have such a massive amount of energy and endless array of ideas.
What exciting plans do you have for the future of your work?
Now that the world has opened up again, it’s time for us to take up the international opportunities that have been sitting on ice for the past two and a half years. We have been accepted into art fairs in Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore and Hong Kong, and I’m also very keen to get to Europe and New York. It’s time to fly again!
Located in the heart of Ponsonby Road, Limn Gallery is New Zealand’s largest and foremost urban and contemporary art gallery featuring close to 180 works by over 70 artists from Aotearoa and around the world. In between quarterly solo shows, ‘Sip & Spray’ workshops, and private events, Limn Gallery hosts ‘SKETCH’ - an evening that allows members of the public to sit alongside artists and draw, chat, and enjoy the food and beverages provided by gallery sponsors; BurgerFuel, Urbanaut Brewing Co, and JOIY Wine.
‘RUSH - Urban Exposure’ opens on Saturday 15 October.
Limn Gallery, 119 Ponsonby Road, contact@limngallery.co.nz,