The colour palette

Slide to reveal the inspiration of the colours.

Nike Savvas talks to Curator Contemporary Art, Nina Tonga, about Finale: Bouquet, on display until Jan 2020.

I wanted to make a field or bouquet of colour that related to specific flora ... the colours found in New Zealand were a great inspiration.

The beautiful watercolours of artist Sarah Featon proved particularly instructive.

My colours were derived from the following flora: kōwhai, forget-me-not, white mountain lily, taurepo, kākābeak, mānuka, pōhutukawa, and sun orchid.

Forget-me-not

[Myosotis species (5) Forget-me-not], about 1885, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/35)

Mountain lily

The mountain lily, about 1885, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/73)

Kōwhai

Yellow Kowhai, 1888, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/72)

Mānuka

Manuka, about 1885, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/66)

My approach incorporates years of studying different aspects of colour theory.

Over time, I have developed an attuned sensitivity to working with colour relations at a complex and highly sensitive level – materially, spatially, optically, perceptually, and also intuitively.

This has proved to be crucial in respect to the colours chosen and the layout and spacing of each coloured tab.

Sun orchid

[Thelymitra longifolia], about 1885, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/117)

Taurepo

Euphrasia cuneata; Rhabdothamnus solandri [also known as taurepo]; Utricularia monanthos, about 1885, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/18)

Pōhutukawa

Pōhutukawa – Metrosideros Tomentosa, 1888, New Zealand, by Sarah Featon. Te Papa (1992-0035-2277/67)

Read the full-length interview with Nike Savvas