Richard Mathieson: Shadow Casters

Shadow Casters brings together a collection of new and recent works exploring Richard Mathieson's enduring interest in form, structure, and material. Working primarily in wood and sand-cast bronze, Mathieson creates abstract sculptures that combine mathematical precision with the tactile qualities of handcrafted materials. Repetition, balance, and careful consideration of space are central to his practice, with shelves, plinths, and display elements conceived as integral parts of the works themselves.

Mathieson attended Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland and  has exhibited throughout New Zealand for more than four decades. He co-founded the influential Star Art Gallery in the 1980s, received a QEII Arts Council Grant for his first solo exhibition in 1989, and has been a long-standing member of Medal Art New Zealand (MANZ), curating and exhibiting its biennial exhibitions at ARTIS Gallery since 2017.

Alongside his studio practice, Mathieson has worked extensively as an installer, educator, and curator. He helped establish Sculpture in the Gardens at the Auckland Botanic Gardens and served as its curator from 2016 to 2020. His work has also featured regularly in Sculpture OnShore and in public commissions across New Zealand.

Shadow Casters reflects a sculptural practice where craftsmanship, geometry, and material come together to create works of quiet strength and lasting presence.