Max Gimblett is the first Kiwi artist to have his work hung on the legendary walls of the Guggenheim. Gimblett, who has been calling New York home for half a decade now, has been working from his 5000-square-foot Bowery loft since the 70s. The Auckland born artist is known for his complex gestures on Thai paper, a technique in which he uses Chinese horsehair brush and Japanese ink to achieve highly complex abstract depictions. A Zen Buddhist himself, Gimblett infuses the traces of Asian mysticism in his paintings as well, merging Abstract Expressionism–the most New York of ‘isms–with his spiritual standpoint. Gimblett is currently in his hometown Auckland for his exhibition Sea of Dragons at Gow Langsford Gallery and two sumi ink art workshops in his old school Auckland Grammar School. The 79 year old artist, who was once one of those attending this school, is introducing the sumi technique to teenagers in these workshops that he only runs ten a year due to the physical and mental challenge.
