13 March 2025

Art in a New Light

Lightworx Gallery: A trailblazing space by ArtBay Gallery that brings a dynamic, big-city feel to Queenstown’s waterfront.

As New Zealand’s first gallery dedicated to avant-garde light-based art, it merges cutting-edge technology with artistic vision, curating mesmerising works that captivate and inspire. Curated by director Pauline Bianchi, the gallery showcases award-winning contemporary artists whose innovative use of light and colour transforms the way we experience art, elevating both mood and space.

NAGY MOLNÁR:
SPACE TRIANGLE

– Wood-metal body, metal frame, glass, mirror, RGBW changing LED lights, control, transformer with black frame.
– 125 x 125 x 15cm

Launched by Hungarian artists Krisztián Nagy and Csaba Molnár, The Mysterlight Project is an exploration of light as both material and mystery—its ability to shape perception, alter space, and transform human experience. Their work is a convergence of glass, optical art, and digital innovation, creating mesmerising compositions that blur the lines between light, movement, and reflection.

Rooted in the legacy of Op Art pioneer Victor Vasarely, whose works adorned their childhood walls, Nagy and Molnár’s fascination with light and illusion evolved into a practice that extends beyond the two-dimensional plane. Their pieces manipulate depth and perspective, immersing the viewer in shifting, luminous landscapes that challenge the boundaries of traditional art forms.

Since launching their collaborative practice, the duo has exhibited throughout Europe, the USA, and Australia, gaining critical recognition for their ability to push the limits of light-based art. Their work is more than visual—it’s experiential, drawing audiences into an ever-changing interplay of brilliance and shadow, where the ephemeral becomes tangible, and perception is forever in flux.

“Our goal is to convey a new, previously unknown sight and visual experience to the beholder by using the physical and optical properties of special glass in contact with light, using various geometric shapes. We hope that beyond the mere spectacle, the viewer will be touched by the thoughts and questions that inspired our works”.
– Krisztián Nagy and Csaba Molnár

Discover more online at Lightworx by ArtBay 

MAX PATTÉ:
Sailors Delight Melides

– Plexiglass, epoxy resin, acrylic paints, 2 way glass, mirror, MDF, 2k paint, LEDs
– 1618mm

Max Patté’s work is a study in light—how it moves, how it shifts, how it shapes perception. A British-born artist now based in Wellington, Patté trained at the Wimbledon School of Art in London (1997–2000) and was elected an Associate of the Royal Society of British Sculptors in 2008. His practice spans sculpture, painting, and immersive light works, all exploring the way colour, tone, and saturation influence both space and emotion.

Best known for Solace in the Wind, the wind-swept figure perched on the Wellington waterfront, and The Frolic and the Fancy, the cast-iron horses at The Hills Golf Club & Sculpture Park in Queenstown, Patté has cultivated an international following. Collectors include Sir Ian McKellen, Charles Saatchi, Stephen Fry, and Sir Michael Hill.

In the studio, modern technology is integral to his process. Digital scanning, CNC milling, 3D printing, and an ever-evolving suite of software and apps inform his approach, allowing for precision in the manipulation of light and form. But beyond the technical, Patté’s work is about experience—transforming environments, altering perception, and evoking a physiological response. Much like the shifting light of day can affect mood and energy, his work invites the viewer into a world where colour and illumination are not just seen but felt.

Discover more online at Lightworx by ArtBay 

ROBERT JAHNKE: 
‘PUREHUROA MATA-WHERO’

 – MDF, timber, mirror pane, mirror, neon, electricity. 
–  1415 x 1415 x 168mm

Primarily a sculptor, Robert Jahnke is one of New Zealand’s leading contemporary artists. Of Ngāi Taharora, Te Whānau a Iritekura, Te Whānau a Rakairoa o Ngāti Porou descent, with Samoan, German, and Irish heritage, Jahnke’s work is deeply rooted in the political and cultural landscape of Aotearoa. His practice interrogates the complex histories of Māori and European relations, the lasting impact of colonisation, and the influence of Christianity on Māori identity.

Jahnke has long been drawn to the metaphorical and aesthetic power of light—neon in particular. In his work, neon is more than illumination; it is a language of symbols. Diamonds, triangles, and crosses take on layered meanings, their repetition enhanced by mirrors and reflections that create an illusion of infinity. The cross form, fundamental in tukutuku weaving, is a recurring motif—most notably in the kaokao pattern, a design found in Māori wharenui, signifying strength and resilience. Compositionally, it aligns with the haka stance, a gesture of defiance and pride, whether in preparation for battle or in the celebration of victory.

Through light and form, Jahnke’s work is both contemporary and ancestral, harnessing the luminous to amplify the unseen—history, resistance, and the enduring presence of whakapapa.

Discover more online at Lightworx by ArtBay