John Weeks
Date of birth
1888
Date of death
1965
Place of birth
Place of death
Nationality
Biography
Born in England, Weeks moved to New Zealand with his parents as a small child, and settled near Te Awamutu. He subsequently studied art in Paris and later lived in Auckland. An eclectic painter, he is credited with helping to introduce modernist ideas to New Zealand painting. He experimented with new styles and techniques until the end of his long career. There is a tendency towards abstraction in his works of the late 30s, 40s and 50s; he became interested in Cubism and applied the technique of faceting (breaking down solid forms into small geometric blocks of colour) to his paintings.
In 1908 Weeks commenced studies at the Elam School of Art in Auckland, receiving tuition from Archibald Nicoll, Alice Whyte and Edward Fristrom. Travelling extensively throughout the Mediterranean, Morocco and Italy in the 1920s, he experimented with cubism, and explorations of three dimensional forms in space. With its bright colours and bold brushstrokes, his style was very influencial on his students at Elam, where he taught from 1930 until 1954. In 1958 he was awarded the O.B.E. for services to art.
- Lara Strongman, Curator of Fine Arts
)
John Weeks was born in Devonshire, England and immigrated to New Zealand with his parents in 1892. He studied at Elam School of Art, Auckland under Archibald Nicholl and Alice Whyte.
At 23 he made a trip to England with his parents, and two years later to Australia where he attended art classes at Sydney Technical School, returning to New Zealand in 1915.
In 1920 he exhibited for the first time with the Auckland Society of Arts. For the next two years he studied at Canterbury College School of Art under Archibald F Nicholl and Richard Wallwork.
He later studied at Edinburgh College of Art and The Royal Scottish Academy and was awarded a painting prize. In 1925 he left Edinburgh for Paris, and spent quite some time travelling. In 1929 he returned to New Zealand and commenced teaching at Elam School of Art in Auckland until his retirement in 1954.
Weeks was one of the artists who first introduced modernist concepts and techniques to the New Zealand art scene. He was greatly interested in the work of the Cubists and developed his own style that featured painterly brushwork and vivid use of colour. His subject matter ranged from abstract forms, figure studies and landscape.
John Weeks was awarded an OBE for services to NZ painting in 1958. The New Zealand public art galleries in the major centres have collected his works.
Fisher Galleries, Christchurch website accessed 4/09/09
http://www.fishersfinearts.co.nz/Artist.102?operation=lotscurrent
In 1908 Weeks commenced studies at the Elam School of Art in Auckland, receiving tuition from Archibald Nicoll, Alice Whyte and Edward Fristrom. Travelling extensively throughout the Mediterranean, Morocco and Italy in the 1920s, he experimented with cubism, and explorations of three dimensional forms in space. With its bright colours and bold brushstrokes, his style was very influencial on his students at Elam, where he taught from 1930 until 1954. In 1958 he was awarded the O.B.E. for services to art.
- Lara Strongman, Curator of Fine Arts
)
John Weeks was born in Devonshire, England and immigrated to New Zealand with his parents in 1892. He studied at Elam School of Art, Auckland under Archibald Nicholl and Alice Whyte.
At 23 he made a trip to England with his parents, and two years later to Australia where he attended art classes at Sydney Technical School, returning to New Zealand in 1915.
In 1920 he exhibited for the first time with the Auckland Society of Arts. For the next two years he studied at Canterbury College School of Art under Archibald F Nicholl and Richard Wallwork.
He later studied at Edinburgh College of Art and The Royal Scottish Academy and was awarded a painting prize. In 1925 he left Edinburgh for Paris, and spent quite some time travelling. In 1929 he returned to New Zealand and commenced teaching at Elam School of Art in Auckland until his retirement in 1954.
Weeks was one of the artists who first introduced modernist concepts and techniques to the New Zealand art scene. He was greatly interested in the work of the Cubists and developed his own style that featured painterly brushwork and vivid use of colour. His subject matter ranged from abstract forms, figure studies and landscape.
John Weeks was awarded an OBE for services to NZ painting in 1958. The New Zealand public art galleries in the major centres have collected his works.
Fisher Galleries, Christchurch website accessed 4/09/09
http://www.fishersfinearts.co.nz/Artist.102?operation=lotscurrent
