Biography
Rachel Wegrzyn is a multidisciplinary designer, in the fields of art, architecture, and design from Aotearoa New Zealand. She is currently living in London and graduated from The University of Auckland in 2018 with a Masters of Architecture (Hons).
Rachel’s work is a necessary form of art therapy, reflecting the various states of her mental health. In particular, the dark and chasmic forms of depression that she lives with and has visualised as black volcanic masses.
Her work is sculptural and atmospheric, with a heavy use of black. She manipulates wet mixed media to create emotive landscapes. She finds the process of making her works with bare hands meditative. Slow motion recordings capture the aftermath of this process, showing ink stained skin, and plaster flaking from her palms and fingers.
Her ‘Dormant’ series was created by blending plasters, ground lava stone (basalt), Japanese ink, and calligraphy paper; which is then applied to canvas in portrait format by hand. As the medium begins to dry she uses her fingers, volcanic stones, and heat to manipulate, sculpt, and texture the surface.
Works available to purchase.
Education
2018
Masters of Architecture (prof.) Hons. The University of Auckland. Head of School.
2016
Bachelor of Architectural Studies. The University of Auckland
Group Exhibitions
2022
Grounding. Depot Art Space. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
Dancing with Myself. Shepperson Centre. Waiheke Island
Volcanic Series. Public Record. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
Volcanic Series. Seagar Design. Otautahi Christchurch
2017
Modos. Gus Fisher Gallery. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
Simon Devitt Prize for Photography. George Fraser Gallery. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
AAA Visionary Awards. The University of Auckland. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
2016
Urban Generators. The University of Auckland. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
Art Week Changing lanes - Artist Anonymous Installation. Fort Street. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
Artists Anonymous Installation. Onehunga Creative Arts Festival. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
Simon Devitt Prize for Photography. George Fraser Gallery. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
2015
Simon Devitt Prize for Photography. Elam Projectspace Gallery. Tamaki Makaurau Auckland
2014
City Ups - Festival of Transitional Architecture. High Street. Otautahi Christchurch
Press
ArtNow
https://artnow.nz/exhibitions/grounding-debbie-barber-rachel-wegrzyn
Depot ArtSpace
https://depot.org.nz/event/grounding/
ArtFull
https://www.artfull.co.nz/artist/rachel-wegrzyn
Public Record
https://publicrecord.shop/collections/rachel-wegrzyn
Local Project
Architecture Now. On the Rise interview.
https://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/on-the-rise-rachel-wegrzyn/
76 Small Rooms. Podcast interview.
https://soundcloud.com/76smallrooms/ep009-so-you-want-to-be-an-architect
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