About

 

EMMA BASS IS AN ESTABLISHED ARTIST WHOSE PRACTICE CENTRES ON FLOWERS, NATURE AND WELLBEING THROUGH BEAUTY.

Emma was born in Liberia, West Africa in 1967 and lived in England before arriving in New Zealand aged six, where she resides in the beautiful twin harbour city of Auckland.

At age ten, Emma's father, then a cardiologist, insisted that she paint flowers on the walls and windows of the coronary care unit where he worked. This lead to a lifelong interest in the power of nature and beauty to uplift and promote healing and wellbeing. To this end, Emma has donated works to hospitals, hospices, oncology units and many other places of wellbeing. Scientific studies support the fact that flowers can provide physiological and psychological advantages such as stress reduction

A former nurse, Emma lived in London in the early 1990s where she fell in love with photography at the Camera Club in Leicester Square; here she learnt darkroom techniques and took part in her first group exhibition.

On her return to New Zealand, she became one of the country’s foremost editorial photographers, working freelance for over 20 years and winning numerous awards. 

VIEW EMMA'S PREVIOUS WORK HERE

In 1992, Emma began exhibiting her art photography and has established a strong following. In 2016, she was the only New Zealand artist to be invited to appear at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in London, shortlisted as a finalist in 2019 and she exhibited there again in 2022.   

In addition to her well-known Floral Portraits/Imperfect (2010–present) other collections include Embellish (2017) and A Little Garden (2018). As Emma continues to diversify and explore new territory, recent series' include Interrupted Eden (2019–present) and her newest series of work Florasssemblage (2021-present) interweaving photographic and painted mark-making.

In this video presentation to the Image Nation Photographic Conference in Auckland 2014, Emma talks about her early life and influences and how her career has developed:

 

One-person exhibitions:

2023       Florassemblage                                         Ellerton Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2023       Spirit of Eden                                             Boyd Dunlop Gallery, Napier, NZ       
2022       Bloom                                                         Anna Sieber Gallery, Michigan, USA
2021        Love                                                           Boyd Dunlop Gallery, Napier, NZ
2020       The Impossible Garden                               Alberton House, Auckland, NZ
2019        A Little Garden                                            Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2018        Embellish                                                    Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke, NZ
2017        Embellish                                                    Smyth Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2014        New Work                                                   Black Asterisk Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2014        Imperfect II                                                 Black Asterisk Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2013        Imperfect                                                    Diversion Gallery, Picton, NZ
2012        Imperfect                                                    Red Gallery, Nelson, NZ
2012        Imperfect                                                    Black Asterisk Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2001        Bloom                                                         Chiaroscuro gallery, Auckland, NZ

Group Exhibitions:

2022        Summer Exhibition                                    Royal Academy, London, UK
2021        Flower Fever                                             Fållnäs Gard, Sorunda, Sweden
2021        Open                                                         Becker Minty, Sydney, Australia
2020        Semicolon                                                 Föenander Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2020        Flora & Fauna                                            Föenander Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2020        Grounded                                                  Artsy/Daniel Raphael Gallery, London, UK
2019        Salon des Refusés                                     Camden Image Gallery, London, UK
2019        On Paper                                                    Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2019        Sea Conversations                                     Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke, NZ
2019        Nature Morte                                              NKB Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2018        A Garden on the Wall                                 Jonathan Grant Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2018        Anthophile                                                  Daniel Raphael Gallery, London, UK
2018        Sizzle                                                          The Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke, NZ
2017        Not Just Flowers                                        The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
2016        The Summer Exhibition                              Royal Academy, London, UK
2016        The Birthday Invitational                            The Artist’s Room, Dunedin, NZ
2016        The Flower Show                                       The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
2015        Botanical works                                          Tree Gallery, Whanganui, NZ
2015        A & P Show                                                The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
2015        Bloom                                                         Opus Gallery, Whakatane Museum, NZ
2014        The Flower Show                                       The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
2014        Light Side/Dark Side                                  Millennium Gallery, Blenheim, NZ
2012        Fabulous Darling                                        Black Asterisk, Auckland, NZ
2012        Opening Show                                           The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
1993        Wallace Art Awards                                   Auckland, NZ
1992        Metalmorphosis                                         Morgan Le Fay Gallery, Auckland, NZ
1989        Group Show                                              Camera Club, London, UK

 

 

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