Ātaahua by Karl Maughan

5 March - 5 April 2020

Ātaahua is a state of being, of being beautiful, good-looking, gorgeous or lovely. Ātaahua is the title of Maughan’s new show at The Central. Maughan paints garden views, rhododendrons, camellias and flowers in their myriad colours with great intensity. He simplifies their forms into circular shapes and clusters of colour – brighter florals against darker leafy greens – garden beds pulling away from us into the shallow space of the painting – and the effect is mesmerising. Brushstrokes of various size activate the different fields in each painting. All things considered, the combination of oil paint, texture, colour and composition are a dazzling visual mix. Maughan’s offer is an eye-popping feast - the promise of painting consummated.