Living in Port Chalmers I’m constantly aware of the ebb and flow of both the harbour waters and the rivers of air in the sky. Unsurprisingly, over the years, they have influenced a great many of my stories and drawings. Some involve the history of the place, some the animals that haul themselves up on the beaches, and some the old myths and legends that still, for me at least, lurk out beyond the dark horizon.

– David Elliot

In Wind and Waves, people and creatures, in, on, above and near the ocean become characters that are interwoven with histories of exploration and scientific research, as well as mythological tales and high sea adventure. Port Chalmers and Otago Harbour – Kōpūtai and Ōtākou – serve as inspiration for many of the works in the exhibition, as do the natural elements, which are personified as giant entities that command the weather. Other works look beyond Ōtākou, and by gesturing to David’s love of maps and old books, traverse a watery expanse to explore domains both real and imagined.

Main image: David Elliot, The Curious Fate of the Band Rotunda (detail), 2014, mixed media.

Left Image: David Elliot, Edge of the World, 2021, mixed media