Local printmaker, painter and automatist Sam Broad presents Depleted Cranium, an exhibition of new and recent woodcuts opening at Solander on Saturday 8 September.Local printmaker, painter and automatist Sam Broad presents Depleted Cranium, an exhibition of new and recent woodcuts opening at Solander on Saturday 8 September.Broad's colourful and humourous works explore his fascination with things mechanical and the impact and interaction of technology on society. Intersecting Kiwiana pop culture iconography with ancient mythic symbols, his latest work replaces the spaceman of candy stick fame with a space mum and child, while the giraffe of the "Longest Drink in Town" milkshake cup gets reworked into "The Longest Ouroboros in Town" - an ancient infinity symbol depicting a creature devouring its tail.

Broad has recently pursued his interest in mechanical, robotic processes by incorporating laser-cutting within some of the hand-whittled woodcuts in this show. In an interesting crossover between man and machine and working from an original ink drawing, the artist utilised a robotic arm to carve areas of the block.

Predominantly self-trained, Broad has been involved in running community art spaces and two galleries, and currently teaches at Vincents Art Workshop. He custom frames his prints himself at his Lower Hutt home and framing business.

His prints, paintings and automata have been exhibited in private and public galleries around New Zealand, but this will be his first solo show in two years.

Where: Solander: works on paper, 95 Tirangi Rd, Lyall Bay, Wellington
When: 8 September - 6 October 2007

29/8/07