Helene Henare Explores the Heart of Place at Agora Gallery

Online, May 16, 2012 (Newswire.com) - In the crisp, glowing vision of Helene Henare's detail driven paintings one finds a communion with the spirit that inhabits a location. Inspired by New Zealand's lush, wild native bush and seasides, Henare paints in the style of distorted realism. She invokes a sense of familiarity while shattering perspectives and perceptions as she plays freely with reflection, shadow, and horizon, capturing recognizable yet wondrous worlds of mood and light. Henare works in acrylic paint on canvas, relishing the versatility and rich palette of colors which the medium offers her. Drawing occasionally from hundreds of photographs, she looks for the essence of her scenes, creating images rooted more within the feeling of a landscape than in its physical forms.
Raised in Auckland, New Zealand, Helene Henare now lives and works in a converted barn on the scenic, rural outskirts of the city. A recent addition to the art world, she has received much attention as an emerging artist in recent years, drawing attention from publishers, authors and collectors both in her native New Zealand and worldwide.

Exhibition Dates: May 18, 2012 - June 7, 2012
Reception: Thursday, May 24, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Gallery Location: 530 West 25th St, New York City
Gallery Hours: Tues - Sat, 11a.m. - 6 p.m.
Event URL: http://www.agora-gallery.com/artistpage/Helene_Henare.aspx

About the Exhibition:

Discover more about the world you live in and revel in the wonders we too often ignore, through the art on display in the upcoming exhibitions at Agora Gallery. Out From Down Under & Beyond: Fine Art from Australia and New Zealand focuses on the wonderful artworks by talented artists from this region who delve into their cultural and geographical heritage to inform pieces of great vigor and power. In The Portal of Tranquility we are introduced to the sensitive and evocative creations of artists who are not afraid to expose their innermost thoughts, hopes and dreams. Landscapes of the Mind explores the diverse emotions and ideas that unite human experience, describing life through the language of colors and forms. In addition, New Zealand's Flagstaff Gallery is bringing the works of some of their exciting artists to New York at Agora Gallery in Made in New Zealand: An exhibition of Fine Art from New Zealand. The gallery is well-known for adding renewed dynamism and relevance to the Auckland art scene, and looking at the works they are sharing with us now, that fact is no surprise.

The exhibitions open on May 18, 2012 and run until June 7, 2012. The opening reception will take place on the evening of Thursday, May 24, 2012. Entrance is free and anyone with an interest in gaining a new perspective on life and art is warmly encouraged to attend and meet some of the artists whose works make up the show.

Featured Artists:

Out From Down Under & Beyond: Fine Art from Australia and New Zealand
Nicolette Benjamin Black | Helene Henare | Caroline Josephs PhD | Jean Marc La-Roque | Eileen Lee | June McCotter | Natasha Parenta | Cristina Popovici | Tanya Marie Reeves |
Dragan Simic | Joanne Webber

The Portal of Tranquility Jacques Descoteaux | Marcia Feller | Silvio Franzini | Zlata Jaanimagi

Landscapes of the Mind
Gabriela Bittner-Krainz | CATO | Cary Griffiths | Frankie IP | Gabriella Legno | Michael Lierly | Maria Mardomingo | Bonnie Pakman | Walter B. Probst | Maria Mercedes Rozo | Fabrizio Valle'

Made in New Zealand: An Exhibition of Fine Art from New Zealand
Tony Allain | Emma Butler | Sean Chen | Mark Compton | Dagmar Dyck | Dave Gunson | Julia Henderson | Daniëlla Hulme | Crispin Korschen | Peter Lambert | Kit MacGregor | Ewan McDougall | Peter Mesley | Tony Ogle | Anna Palmer | Matt Palmer | Ted Sherwen | Richard Smith | Cynthia Taylor | Mary Taylor | Rae West | Fraser Williamson

Interviews with the artists and high resolution images are available upon request.

About Agora Gallery
Agora Gallery is a fine art gallery, established in 1984 and located in the heart of New York City's Chelsea art galleries district. It is famous for showcasing a spectacular array of talented artists from around the world and around the corner, while providing quality and original art to collectors. Exhibitions are usually group exhibits, presenting the work of a number of artists, but sometimes solo exhibitions focus on the work of one particular artist. The gallery publishes ARTisSpectrum Magazine, a bi-annual magazine that is distributed to museums, galleries, art institutions and art schools around the world. It provides artists, collectors, museums, galleries, art organizations and enthusiasts with access to the work of international talented artists as well as feature articles, reviews and interviews. Agora Gallery is the proud sponsor of ARTmine, one of the most comprehensive resources available worldwide to view and purchase fine art. The gallery also runs Agora Art Blog, a blog designed to provide helpful information and advice for artists while providing a forum for artists to help one another by sharing their experiences and thoughts.