On the maps

Press, 13 August 1986, Page 22

On the maps

John Hurrell is exhibiting map paintings at two Christchurch galleries. Both branches of the John Paul Gallery are showing the works. Small maps of Christchurch are being shown at the larger gallery in Colombo Street The four works contain copied images from German and Italian paintings, depicted on grids of Christchurch maps that are pinned to the wall. Where lines duplicated from the original paintings have touched or crossed Christchurch streets the streets have, been retained surrounded by black paint for contrast The German title of this

exhibition, Feme Kusten, means distant shore. Wild Visionary Indexical is the title of John Burrell's second show at the Victoria Street gallery. These works are made with large maps of Christchurch bordered by indexes. The images are based on German expressionist portraits of women and the indexes form frames of words for the lines. The paintings support the view that what we experience in art is framed by language, the artist says. The title refers to the recent German expressionist exhibition at the National Gallery. The exhibitions run until the end of the month.