Len Lye (1901-1980) is one of the most original artists to have emerged from New Zealand. He developed his own theories about an ‘art of movement’ as a new approach to art. He became known around the world for his animation films, pioneering the method of ‘direct film’ (bypassing the camera by painting, scratching and stencilling images directly onto celluloid). Later he became a pioneer of kinetic or motorised sculpture. His work has an energy and freshness that gives it broad appeal.

Art that Moves is the first exhibition of Lye’s work to be held at a public gallery in Auckland since 1980. Curated by Roger Horrocks, the exhibition explores Lye’s intense engagement with what he called the ‘magical mystery’ of motion. In addition to films and kinetic sculptures, there are paintings and photograms to represent other areas of his work and to illustrate the implied movement in his static images. Among the five kinetic sculptures in the show, there are two that have not previously been seen in Auckland. The exhibition is linked with the publication of two new books: Art that Moves: The Work of Len Lye by Roger Horrocks (AUP), and Body English: Texts and Doodles by Len Lye (Holloway Press).

A number of complementary events will take place at Gus Fisher Gallery over the exhibition period:

Len Lye: Opening Weekend Talks
Len Lye: Roger Horrocks on Art and Movement
Len Lye: 16mm film screening
Len Lye: A Flip and Two Twisters
Len Lye and the Kinetic Monument
A Composerly View of Len Lye
Len Lye: Poetic Structures in New Media
Wystan Curnow on Len Lye
Len Lye: Gregory Bennett on Sound and Motion

Thanks to The University of Auckland’s Business School, Mechanical Engineering, Film, Television and Media Studies, the Len Lye Foundation and Govett-Brewster Art Gallery, NZ Film Archive, Point-of-View Productions, Curio Wines and Aalto Colour.