- Visit Toro mai
- Discover the collections Tūhuratia ngā kohinga
- Learn Ākona
- About Mō Te Papa
- Contact us Whakapā mai
- News He pānui
- What we do Ā mātou mahi
- The collections Ngā kohinga taonga
- Repatriation Karanga Aotearoa
- Touring exhibitions Ngā whakaaturanga poi haere
- Past exhibitions Ngā whakaaturanga o mua
- Jobs Tūranga mahi
- Te Papa Press
- Press and media Papāho
- Media sales and licensing Te hohoko papāho me te manatā
- Our building Tō mātou whare
- Shop Wharehoko
- Support & join Tautokotia, kuhu mai
Towards Abstraction: Where Did Reality Go?
Explore how artists used abstraction to express new ideas – and use digital tools to create your own abstract art.
- Education type Education visit
- Duration 2 hours
- Suitable for Years 7–13
- Next available Available now
- Cost $6.50 per student. Free for teachers and parent helpers
In the 20th century, some artists moved away from representing the world around them in a realistic way. Why did they do this, and how did it liberate them?
Using art works on display in Te Papa’s new galleries, students explore how artists used line, colour, and form to move from realism to abstraction.
In Hīnātore, our learning lab, students use drawing activities to disrupt how they see reality. Afterwards, they can use digital art tools to express their creativity and explore the move from realism to abstraction.
Caption
Teenagers in the art gallery looking at Tiffany Singh's 'Indra’s bow', 2018. Photo by Kate Whitley. Te Papa