A long-held dream to bring the arts together becomes a reality tonight for an Arrowtown gallery owner, when an album of remastered classical music by New Zealand composers is promoted with specially selected and complementary works by New Zealand artists.
Islandsong is a compilation CD which features a selection of complete and partial recordings from seven Trust Records albums, with music by composers Douglas Lilburn, Gareth Farr, John Ritchie, John Psathas and David Farquhar.
The HRL Morrison Music Trust teamed up with art dealer Nadene Milne, of Arrowtown, to accompany each musical composition with images of artworks from Nadene Milne Gallery.
She said uniting music and art was a rare occurrence as they were usually separate disciplines.
The idea was prompted by her long-held desire to integrate the arts and capitalise on the freedom of expression the Wakatipu environment offered.
About 14 artworks from eight leading artists appear in the exhibition of the same name as the album, at the Buckingham St gallery.
The artists are Auckland painter Gretchen Albrecht, Palmerston North sculptor Paul Dibble, New York-based painter Max Gimblett, Auckland painter Tony Lane, Wellington photographer Ans Westra, Christchurch painter Heather Straka, Dunedin painter-sculptor Russell Moses and Wellington sculptor Elizabeth Thomson.
• The Islandsong album and exhibition launch is open to the public at Nadene Milne Gallery, in Arrowtown, tonight, from 7pm to 8.30pm. Entry is free. The exhibition runs at the gallery until early September.
