EMILY WOLFE
Born Auckland, New Zealand
Lives and works in London

Auckland-born Emily Wolfe graduated from the Slade painting school, University College London, in 2001, and has been living in London ever since. Her first subjects back in New Zealand had been shards of pottery, faithfully documenting evidence of past lives. These records then gave way to delicate fabrics, which in turn became filmy drapes and curtains, framing glimpses through windows. Fading light added to the mystery of these private spaces, with their snap-shots of a distant world beyond.

More recently Wolfe has concentrated her gaze on the interior, the corners of time-worn rooms with their peeling wallpaper and scuffed skirtings. Aided by a limited palette and an economical style she captures moments frozen in time, undisturbed by human presence. When one such painting, The Silent Treatment, was selected for the 2006 John Moores Prize Exhibition in Liverpool, Wolfe became only the third New Zealander (after Pat Hanly in 1961and Karl Maughan in 1998) to be a finalist in that prestigious competition’s 43-year history.
John Fowler

Education

1998-00 MFA (Distinction) Slade School of Fine Art, University College London
1993-06 BFA Elam School of Fine Art, University of Auckland, New Zealand

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2008
Recent Work, Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland

2007
Recent Work, Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland

2006
New Paintings, Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland

2005
Recent Work, Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland
Emily Wolfe and Karin Hanssen, The Agency Contemporary, London
Onetwenty Gallery, Ghent, Belgium

2004
Recent Work, Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland

2003
Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland

2001
Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland

1998
Anna Bibby Gallery, Auckland

1996
Vavasour/Godkin Gallery, Auckland

Group Exhibitions (Selected)

2006
John Moores 24, The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, UK

2006
‘Birds, The Art of New Zealand Birdlife’, Pataka, Porirua City, New Zealand

2005
Commodity & Delight: Views of Home, curated by Greg Donson, Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui

2003
Chockerfuckingblocked, Jeffrey Charles, London

2001
Freebase, Century Gallery, London
Diversions, Recent Acquisitions from the University Collection, Auckland University, New Zealand
Alive!, Adam Art Gallery, Victoria University, Wellington

2000
Art Futures, Contemporary Art Society, Barbican Centre, London
bilis 2000, ‘Front’, London

1999
‘GRRR’ Slade Postgraduate Painters’ Initiative, Paper Bag Factory, London

1997
Visa Gold Art Award, New Gallery, Wellington City Gallery, Christchurch Gallery

1996
M&C Saatchi Award Finalists, Auckland

Awards, Prizes and Scholarships (selected)

2000
Cyril Sweett Award, Worshipful Company of Painters and Stainers, London
2000 Finalist, DLA Award, London
ACAVA ‘ First Base’ studio award, London
Duveen Travel Scholarship, Slade, UCL

1999
Ryoichi Sasakawa Scholarship (Massey University, NZ) for study at the Slade, UCL

1998
M & C Saatchi Award, NZ

Publications

2001
‘Diversions’, Recent Acquisitions from the University Art Collection, Auckland, NZ ‘Alive!’ Still life into the Twenty-First Century, Adam Art Gallery, Victoria University, Wellington, NZ

2000
The Slade Journal (Vol.4), London DLA Award catalogue, London

Collections

Gissings, London
M & C Saatchi, NZ
University of Auckland