One month, one painting : Summer in Central Otago by New Zealand artist Rita Angus (video)

Summer is here! Rita Angus ( 1908 – 1970) is regarded as one of the leading figures in twentieth-century New Zealand art. She worked primarily in oil and watercolour, and became known for her portraits and landscapes. Angus has captured the vastness and variety of the Otago landscape, as well as the shifting effects of summer heat, light, and wind.

Where is Central Otago?

Central Otago is an area located in the inland part of the Otago region in the South Island of New Zealand. The motto for the area is « A World of Difference ». Characterised by cold winters and hot, dry summers, the area is only lightly populated. First significant European occupation came with the discovery of gold in 1861, which led to the Central Otago goldrush.

In the 1930s and 1940s Rita Angus painted scenes of Canterbury and Otago.

Angus’ pacifist beliefs can be seen in her art of the 1940s, when she avoided any kind of war work. Angus stated, « As an artist it is my work to create life and not to destroy it. »^W

Be curious! Read more on : Te Papa Tongarewa – New Zealand Art Museum

Discover New Zealand’s stunning landscapes in this video :

 

(ESL learning : for educational purposes only)