International digital artist to host workshop at Waikato University

Canadian artist Alex McLeod, who specialises in digital art, is coming to New Zealand – briefly. He’ll be taking a workshop at the University of Waikato and giving a public lecture at the Hamilton Museum lecture theatre on 25 June.

McLeod is only 26 but his work is known around the world. They are all computer generated and often look like models.

“McLeod creates hyper-realistic 3D fantasy worlds; it’s like nothing else we’ve seen here,” says Waikato University Art Curator Karl Chitham.

“You look at his work and at first you think his paintings are like a children’s play world, with mountains, trees, lakes and clouds. It’s like he’s blending the wide open romantic landscapes with the broken landscapes of other worlds.

“There are no people, but traces of them. Sometimes the subject matter conflicts with the candy-coloured palette, and the complexity of the work has you studying it for ages. The detail is astounding.”

Three of Alex McLeod’s works will be on show in the Another Universe exhibition at the Calder & Lawson Gallery at the University’s Academy of Performing Arts. “It’s a bit of a coup to get Alex down here,” says Chitham.

“We’ve invited art students from other institutions around the Waikato and Auckland for a workshop, and we hope the public will come along to the exhibition and the lecture to gain some insights into how art is being transformed in the digital age.”

Another Universe, at the Calder & Lawson Gallery is opening on Thursday 23 June at 6pm and runs until 7 August. The public lecture is Saturday 25 June, Waikato Museum at 2pm.