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Tapestries and decoupage assemblages by Kate Wells recall allegorical medieval hunting tapestries but are also inspired by life in the South Pacific.

Working from her studio in Titirangi, West Auckland, Kate Wells found her inspiration for The Hunt in an extraordinary fifteenth-century tapestry cycle. The seven-piece Unicorn Tapestries, captured in silk, wool and metal yarns, depict the hunt and capture of the mythical unicorn with magic realism and exquisite detail.

Like their enchanting medieval predecessor, Wells' decoupage designs and tapestry fragments offer an alluring combination of decoration and allegorical meaning. Repeating patterns, connecting threads, coded symbols and overlapping layers are all characteristics of the ancient art of tapestry, but they also reflect the nature of story-telling across the ages, which offers the potential for new interpretations, changing meanings and a slightly different ending every time.

Exhibition developed and toured by Milford House Ltd with support from Creative New Zealand.

Exhibition number 744