Milan Mrkusich

Everyone at Aratoi was saddened by the news of Milan Mrkusich’s death. Aratoi had a special relationship with Mrkusich, who was New Zealand’s pre-eminent modernist artist. In 2014 Aratoi opened Milan Mrkusich: Chromatic Investigations and Paintings from the 90s, curated by then Director Alice Hutchison. The landmark show featured a spectacular purpose built curved wall on which the Chromatic Investigations sequence was displayed. Sadly this was to be Mrkusich’s last major exhibition, but earlier this year he generously contributed a major work to the Aratoi Artists Auction fundraiser. Triptych: Homage to Rodchenko 1966, sold to a lucky buyer for $200,000, a tribute to Mrkusich’s genius with colour and form.

It is always a sad day when a great artist dies. Aratoi salutes Milan Mrkusich’s lifetime of work, his generosity, and the ways in which he enriched the visual arts of our country.

Chromatic Investigations 1995 First Order: Chromatic Series No 1-10,
ten panels, acrylic polymer on canvas each 16" x 24" (406mm x 610mm)