Kushana Bush
{{short description|New Zealand artist (born 1983)}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Kushana Bush
| image = Kushana bush.jpg
| caption = Bush in studio
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date |df=yes|1983|06|09}}
| birth_place = Dunedin, New Zealand
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = New Zealand
| residence =
| movement =
| spouse =
| awards = Arts Foundation New Generation Award (2013), Frances Hodgkins Fellow at the University of Otago (2011), Art and Australia Contemporary Art Award (2009)
| patrons =
| field =
| training = Dunedin School of Art
| works =
}}
Kushana Bush (born 1983) is a New Zealand artist based in Dunedin. She was born in Dunedin{{Cite web |title=About — Kushana Bush |url=https://kushanabush.com/About |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=kushanabush.com |language=en}} and is best known for her paintings which typically blend historic and contemporary styles. Bush has won several awards for her works and has held international exhibitions.
Work and career
Bush's gouache on paper paintings are known for their level of meticulous detail, use of flattened perspective, decorative patterning, and chalky colors.{{Cite book|title=The Burning Hours|publisher=Dunedin Public Art Gallery|year=2016|isbn=9780994135315|editor-last=Gutsell|editor-first=Lauren}} Her unique style of painting blends influences from the history of figurative art, drawing on medieval illuminated manuscripts like the book of hours, through to Giotto's frescoes, Japanese Shunga art, Mughal painting, Persian miniatures, Dutch religious paintings, Korean still life and folk art. The English painter Stanley Spencer is also a key influence for the artist, as are facets of global popular culture and fashion.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/art-kushana-bush-20181205-h18rpi.html|title=Art: Kushana Bush|last=McDonald|first=John|date=1 February 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=16 February 2019}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.artandaustralia.com/online/discursions/review-kushana-bush-burning-hours|title=Review: Kushana Bush, The Burning Hours {{!}} Art + Australia|website=www.artandaustralia.com|access-date=16 February 2019}} As curator Lauren Gutsell explains: "These disparate sources bind Bush's works to both the past and the present; the historical and the contemporary. Human interactions, humor, ambiguity, dramatic tension and intimate scale are her tools to draw viewers into a private conversation and, in some cases, a spiritual space."{{Cite web|url=http://www.teuru.org.nz/index.cfm/whats-on/calendar/kushana-bush-the-burning-hours/|title=Kushana Bush: The Burning Hours - Te Uru|website=www.teuru.org.nz|access-date=16 February 2019}} Bush's early works often focused on injured characters, giving the works something of the air of Mexican retablo art,{{Cite web|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/entertainment/arts/traditional-art-meets-modern-tribal|title=Traditional art meets modern tribal|website=www.odt.co.nz|last=Dignan|first=James|date= 4 September 2008|access-date=17 February 2019}} though this feature has been largely absent from her more recent work.
Bush received an Arts Foundation New Generation Award in 2013, and undertook the Frances Hodgkins Fellowship at the University of Otago in 2011. In 2009, the artist won the Art and Australia Contemporary Art Award, and undertook an Arts Centre/Asia NZ Foundation Residency at the National Art studio, Changdong, Seoul.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thearts.co.nz/artists/kushana-bush|title=Kushana Bush|date=2015-09-26|website=The Arts Foundation|language=en|access-date=16 February 2019}}
Bush's work is held in institutions across New Zealand as well as the Queensland Art Gallery, Art Gallery of New South Wales, National Gallery Victoria.{{Cite web|url=https://www.op.ac.nz/story/436|title="Kushana is recognised as a significant artist. She’s unassuming and extremely focussed. We are proud to own her as a graduate" - Kushana Bush|website=www.op.ac.nz|language=en-NZ|access-date=16 February 2019}} She is represented by Darren Knight Gallery in Sydney and Brett McDowell Gallery in Dunedin.{{Cite web|url=http://www.darrenknightgallery.com/home/|title=Darren Knight Gallery » Darren Knight Gallery|website=Darren Knight Gallery|language=en-AU|access-date=16 February 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://brettmcdowellgallery.com/|title=Brett McDowell Gallery – Mirek Smisek - 2nd - 22nd November 2018|website=Brett McDowell Gallery|language=en-nz|access-date=16 February 2019}}
Life
Bush was born in Dunedin to English parents. Her father had studied art at Winchester School of Art, but did not complete a degree course. His interests in Asian history led to his daughter being named for the Kushan Empire, and the young Kushana's childhood was lived surrounded by books on Asian history and art. Bush went to Wakari Primary School and Balmacewen Intermediate School before studying at Otago Girls' High School.{{Cite web|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/opinion/artist-home-eroticism|title=Artist at home with eroticism|website=www.odt.co.nz|last=Entwisle, Peter|date= 29 February 2016|access-date=17 February 2019}} Bush completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in painting at the Dunedin School of Art in 2004.
Recent exhibitions featuring the artist's work
- "Contemporary Art from Asia and the Pacific: Selected works from QAGOMA's Asia Pacific Triennial", Fundacion Centro Cultural Palacio La Moneda, Santiago, Chile, (until 1 December 2019)
- "Here we are", Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, (24 August to 13 October 2019){{Cite web|url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/here-we-are/|title=Here we are :: Art Gallery NSW|website=www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au|access-date=2020-01-28}}
- "The 9th Asian Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art," Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane (2019).{{Cite web|url=https://www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/whats-on/exhibitions/the-9th-asia-pacific-triennial-of-contemporary-art-apt9|title=The 9th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT9)|last=QAGOMA|website=Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art|language=en|access-date=16 February 2019}}
- "National Gallery of Victoria Triennial," National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (2018).{{Cite web|url=https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/ngv-triennial/|title=National Gallery of Victoria Triennial|website=National Gallery of Victoria|access-date=17 February 2019}}
- "The Burning Hours," Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery, Auckland (2017–18).
- "Grayson Perry / Kushana Bush," City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi, Wellington (2015–16).{{Cite web|url=https://citygallery.org.nz/exhibitions/grayson-perry-kushana-bush/|title=City Gallery Wellington|website=citygallery.org.nz|language=en|access-date=16 February 2019}}
References
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{{Frances Hodgkins Fellowship}}
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