Rodney Fumpston
Fumpston has a strong academic background. Born in Fiji he studied at Elam School of Fine Arts in Auckland 1966 – 1972. He went to the Central School of Art and Design in London, graduating with advanced studies in printmaking in 1974. He has participated in numerous exhibitions internationally including the Biennial Exhibition of prints, Tokyo 1974 – 75, Three One Man Exhibitions in New Zealand House London 1975 and exhibited widely in New Zealand. He currently lectures in printmaking at Elam School of Art. Fumpston experiments with a range of techniques in his printmaking from techniques such as lithographs, mezzotints, etching and aquatints. A recurrent theme in Fumpston's work is the contrast between a sharp edged architecturally defined solid block of colour, opposed with a squiggle, slosh or series of scratches. He does not included people in his work he is trying to create more formal images. His works are to do with light and matter, eternal scientific truths. Over and over again in Fumpston's cool sparse images we find the geometric shape, the square, rectangle or triangle set alongside an impulsive scribble, irregular hatching with the etching needle, the illusion of brushstroke or painterly effect. Many works involve an investigation of light. Fumpston not only looks at light as it reveals itself in relation to objects he seeks to render light itself, in essence. Although his work is semi abstract it is closely related to real situations and sensory awareness. For example in the Egypt series these are related directly to his experiences of the great pyramids, Garden View Series related to his immediate surroundings.
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