Of Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti and Irish descent, John Walsh was brought up in Ūawa Tolaga Bay.
Best known for his sublime, ethereal landscapes with dense narratives, A Portrait of Ūawa Tolaga Bay He Whakaahua o Ūawa is a major survey of Walsh's portrait paintings. The exhibtion includes the 20-metre long A Portrait of Tolaga Bay in 1980, shown in public for the first time since the 1980s. John will be in the gallery restoring this work during the opening weeks of the show.
Curated by Helen Kedgley
Image: John Walsh, Portrait of Ūawa Tolaga Bay 1979-80, oil on board, collection of the artist
John Walsh: A Portrait of Ūawa Tolaga Bay - He Whakaahua o Ūawa - Digital Exhibition Catalogue
A pdf download of the bilingual catalogue of the stunning John Walsh: A Portrait of Ūawa Tolaga Bay exhibition held in 2018 at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata.