Art on Cuba

Daniel Ramsey Mortimer beside MATE, a stuffed opossum on a cross. Not inappropriately Mortimer says in Maori, mate also means sickness.
Another new gallery opens today (February 1) bringing the number of galleries in the quarter to at least a dozen.
Ramsey Mortimer Gallery, at 253 Cuba Street, will show contemporary art across all mediums from both recognised and lesser known artists. Owner, Daniel Mortimer, says the art displayed will reflect his own taste, which he describes as “eclectic.”
The works showing in the gallery’s first exhibition include oil paintings from local art student Francesca MacKenzie, sand sculptures from Russian artist Andrey Didyk, and pieces from artist and taxidermist Bernie Harfleet’s MATE series.
Mortimer’s early background was in IT and technical support, but he has worked in the gallery industry for six years installing exhibitions first at Victoria University’s Adam Art Gallery and then at the Peter Mcleavey Gallery.
“I started as an art dealer’s assistant and have steadily worked my way through various technical installations,” Mortimer says. “I’ve been in the art game for a while so opening my own gallery is just a natural progression.
Mortimer says he chose the new gallery space deliberately.
“In recent years the building has had an interesting history as a body piercing shop and then more recently as a sex dungeon run by a local lady of the night. It’s a beautiful old space with wonderful light. I could not have chosen a more perfect place to display works of art.”









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