Bing Dawe

Born: 1952 in Oamaru, New Zealand.

University of Canterbury, School of Fine Arts.

In his long career Dawe  has been the recipient many grants and awards including the 1999 Wallace Visa Gold Award.  A major survey of his work ‘Acts of Enquiry’ was held at the Robert McDougall Gallery in 1999 and his work can be found in public and private collections both in New Zealand and overseas.

Dawe's work, which has ranged from the expansive to the intimate, has always been one of engagement and investigation. The rhythm of the seasons, environmental and social concerns are strong themes.

"These works  continue a series titled Small Fry From Out of a Night Sky-From the Family Galaxiidae. They explore the vulnerability of the small while referencing the universal. The family of small native fish Galaxiidae, of which four species are our well known Whitebait, get their name from their covering of small spots which were thought to resemble stars in the Galaxy. These small fish are at risk because of water degradation and habitat destruction. The night sky or view of the Galaxy is a way to relate these fish to the universal and to elevate their size, importance and the implications of their loss to a grand scale.”