Chris Bailey

Christopher Bailey (born 1965) is a New Zealand sculptor and carver.

Background Bailey is of Māori (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Hako, Ngāti Pāoa, Te Aupōuri) and Irish descent. He lives and works on Waiheke Island.

Gravitating towards the harder stones of basalt and granite, Bailey developed form driven stone works in a larger scale while also developing his carving skills working in tōtara alongside carvers of Piritahi Marae on Waiheke Island.

Recognition Bailey has exhibited both nationally and internationally, winning the 2014 Wallace Arts Trust New Zealand Sculptor Award for his Bondi Points at the Bondi Beach, Sculpture by the Sea. He has received financial support from Creative New Zealand to produce works. In 2010, Ringa Whao a documentary about Bailey's practice was produced by Rongo Productions. In 2011, he completed a public commission of carved pou situated outside Britomart Transport Centre in Auckland. Recognised for starting the pou (carved timber pallisade post) movement on Waiheke Island in recognition of the islands Māori history which saw other sculptors take up the art form in later years.

Bondi Blades, Winner James Wallace Trust New Zealand Sculptor 2014 for Sculpture by the Sea Bondi, Australia Pou Tu Te Rangi, nominated for IAPA International Public Art Award for South East Asian Region, 2014 Toi Iho, life time status granted in recognition of the quality of his stone work.

Selected exhibitions 2017 Headland Sculpture on the Gulf, Waiheke Island, New Zealand 2016 Imago Mundi: New Zealand Collection exhibition, Treviso, Italy Sculpt Oneroa, Waiheke island, New Zealand 2015 Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Australia Show and Tell, Milford Galleries, Dunedin, New Zealand 2014 Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, Sydney, Australia Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe Beach, Perth, Australia Te Toi Hou – Contemporary Maori Art, Northart, Auckland, New Zealand 2013 Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia Mini Masterworks 4, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Canada Whatumanawa, Toi Gallery, Waiheke, New Zealand Auckland Art Fair, FHE Gallery, Auckland, New Zealand 2012 From A Distance group show, NZ Academy of Fine Arts, Wellington, New Zealand Matariki, Toi Gallery, Waiheke, New Zealand The Review, Milford Galleries, Dunedin, New Zealand 2011 Headland Sculpture on the Gulf, Waiheke Island, New Zealand 2010 Moko Suite – Marti Freidlander/ Chris Bailey, FHE Galleries 2009 Auckland Art Fair, Auckland, New Zealand 53rd Venice Biennale – La Maddalena, Venice, Italy NZ Room. Collaboration with Creative NZ. June – November 6x6 International Carving Symposium, Lake Serraia, Baselga de Pine, Italy, August Mini Masterworks III, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Canada, October 2008 Mana Whenua, The Lane Gallery, Auckland, March Mini Masterworks II, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Canada, March Te Kahui o Matariki, group show and book launch Motuaarairoa Solo Show, FHE Galleries, Auckland, June Tiny Treasures, De Young Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, USA Sculpture Onshore Sculpture Symposium, Takapuna, New Zealand, November 2007 Maori Mark, The Wellington Event Centre, Wellington Mini Masterworks, Spirit Wrestler Gallery, Vancouver, Canada, August 2006 Chris Bailey – New Works, Waiheke Community Art Gallery, January Art Out There Exhibition, Waiheke Island, Sculpture in the landscape Creative NZ Exhibition, Tokyo, Japan, November Pacific Edge 2006 The Art Bungalow, Kerikeri, February Taatai Tupuna, Matariki exhibition, Waiheke Community Art Gallery APEC, virtual exhibition, August 2006 – 2007 2005 Toi Maori – The Eternal Thread Exhibition, Yerba Buena Centre for Arts, San Francisco, United States, Toi Iho Exhibition, Te Papa, NZ National Museum, New Zealand

Selected commissions 2016—Kia Piritahi, Part of carving team to help complete the carvings of the traditional Maori meeting house/wharenui, Piritahi Marae, Waiheke, NZ 2014—Mata Kupenga, Public sculpture for Auckland City Council at Waiheke Public Library, Waiheke Island, Auckland. 2011—Pou Tu Te Rangi, Public sculptural installation for Britomart Art Trust, Britomart Precinct, Auckland, NZ 2010—Ringa Whao, film documentary biography on Chris Bailey. 2009—Commissioned by CNZ to provide works for the NZ Room, 53rd Venice Biennale – St Maddalena Church, Venice, Italy