EXHIBITIONS

2008  “VEIWS ON DEATH”, Old ART CENTER, Dunedin
2008  “Ten Day Boutique” NONE Gallery, Dunedin
2009  “Ten Day Boutique” NONE Gallery, Dunedin
2010  “TURANGAWAEWAE”, Modaks Cafe, Dunedin
2010  “Natural Landscape, Paintings and Performance”, NONE Gallery, Dunedin. (solo) 2010  “Te Kanano O Mahitoi, Maori Art Exhibition”, Tangente
Cafe, Dunedin
2010  “Reflections”, Tangente Cafe, Dunedin
2010 “Dislocation”, House of Taonga Salon, Auckland. (solo)
2010 ”Thought for Self”, NONE Gallery, Dunedin. (solo).
2010 “Small works”, Flax Cafe, Dunedin
2011 “Celebration of creation”, Matariki Dunedin. Community Gallery. (Solo Paintings and performance).

2011 Art and Law V, Law Faculty, Dunedin university.

2011 “Without hope, Without fear”, Dowling st studio

gallery.

2011 “Out of the either” Modaks cafe, Dunedin.(group show)

2012 “Art in practice” Otago University Medical School Office, Dunedin. Currated by Peter Stupples. (solo)

2012 “Working in the shadow” A GALLERY, Dunedin. (Group show)

2012 “Clifton’s art awards” Wellington.(Group show)

2013 “Te ao marama” Matariki festival, South Dunedin (Public art)

2013 “White night” Dunedin white night, Bruce gallery project space, Dunedin. (Group show)

2013 “Caravaggio show” Mint gallery Dunedin, Dunedin. (Group show)

2013 “ National Contemporary Art Awards, Waikato Museum, Hamilton. (Group show)

2013 “Reduction of a deity” Fringe festival, Dunedin Community Gallery, Dunedin. (Solo exhibition and performance)

2013 “The recent violence he represents comes to be emotional simplicity” (works on paper), Mint Gallery Dunedin, Dunedin. (Solo).

2013 “Art in practice, Neurology and Art collaboration”, Otago University Hunter Centre, Dunedin

2013 “POUR” none Art Gallery, Dunedin. (Installation)

2014 “OIL ON CANVAS (anti oil drill auction)” Community gallery. Dunedin.

2014 “Flux” Mint Gallery, Dunedin (Collaboration with Murray Eskdale)

http://jamesbellaney.com/

Reduction of the Deity — Artist Events — Dunedin Fringe Festival 2013

Reduction of the Deity — Artist Events — Dunedin Fringe Festival 2013:

'via Blog this'

What does painting mean for me, 05/06/2012

performance at blue oyster

''The recent violence he represents, come to be emotional simplicity'', James Bellaney (Mint Gallery) 8 Feburary 2013.
Maori cosmology provides the spark of inspiration for a series of abstract works by James Bellaney at Mint Gallery.
The protagonists of the Maori creation myth are the earth and sky, Papatuanuku and Ranginui, pushed apart by their son Tane, along with Tawhirimatea, the weather god, whose constant winds are evidence of his anger at what his brother Tane has done. Hine-nui-te-po, goddess of the underworld and sunset is also evoked in these paintings.
The mixed-media pieces, which have watercolour as a main element, use an effective limited palette of earth tones, blacks, and whites. Highlighted elements in bright red provide some needed colour to the works. These are colours which reflect both the mud and stone of newly-formed earth and the traditional colours of pre-colonial Maori art. A constant element in the works is the circle, its strong, complete form indicating the cycle of life and of karma, and also of the oneness of all creation.
An aleatory element has been introduce to the works by means of using a cut-up technique to arrive at the titles of the paintings and of the exhibition itself. In this way, viewers can read into the titles whatever they wish, potentially colouring their views of the works' natures.

by James Dignan
published in the Otago Daily times. 14 February
http://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/arts/245637/art-seen

My artist statement for the show.

The recent violence he represents, come to be emotional simplicty.

I love the process of the painting with watercolors, the reaction of the medium together with the surface. Watercolour forbids me to claim anything as a mistake. Every organic mark made on the page reveals a history, evolving into a finished work that is raw and visceral. Patience and acceptance is itself an imrpotant part of the process.

The title of this body of work was discovered through the process of cut up words from a random art article, shuffled and simplified.

With the colours I want to emthasize time and earthly elements such as earth, water, wind and bone. Reflecting the emotional content of Patatuanuku and connecting the personal potential inspired by the hidden, dark inner worlds. These are places not only of death but also of beginning. They are places of refuge for 'Hine Nui Te Po', (Goddess of the underworld) who resides in shame, and 'Tahwhiamatea'(God of the weather) who bears a constant grudge against his brothers. Also Tane, who split the Mother and Father allowing light and revealing all. I am also inspired by Dante's Inferno and his descent into the underworld.

By James Bellaney
Artist