Ruth Thomas-Edmond's title {Beneath the carpet and the stars} suggests the containment and expansiveness that is at the heart of her practice.

It is an evocative and poetic title for work that is very much about compliance with rules created by the artist. Rather than act as reins though, these rules provide a framework for exploration. What happens when you place lines at angles to each to each other? What will be found? Surprising things it seems -- particularly as we see in this new body of work when one small shift in media -- from plain to patterned vinyl tape -- opens up unexpected new territory.

Ruth Thomas-Edmond's boundary crossing practice speaks to drawing, painting and sculpture. It speaks to the history of the readymade in art. All this in collage on paper. Quietly and humbly, it takes us from somewhere we have known to somewhere new.

Raised in Wellington, Ruth studied at the University of Auckland Elam School of Fine Arts in the painting department. Since completing her Masters degree in 2005, she has taught at Elam and the Manukau School of Visual Arts. She has exhibited throughout New Zealand and been included in shows at City Gallery Wellington and the Christchurch Art Gallery. Her work is in public and private collections.

We are delighted to present Ruth's first solo exhibition in the gallery.

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