Identity explored from many viewpoints in Yours Truly X exhibition in Stratford

Percy Thomson Gallery’s latest exhibition begins on Stratford’s Broadway where a spaceman painted by street artist Milarky has taken over the gallery’s sign.

Milarky’s work inside the gallery echoes the work on Broadway, opposite the town’s glockenspiel and main crossing.

It’s one of 31 works exploring identity in the exhibition, titled Yours Truly X, which opened on Friday.

“It’s the first time we’ve had a street artwork to promote an exhibition,” gallery director Laura Campbell said.

The painting on the sign will stay permanently, she said.

”Milarky has done it for the people of Stratford. We’ve had a lot of amazing feedback from locals. It's really good for the gallery, and good for the town.”

Bringing the exhibition together had taken her 18 months, she said, and some of the artists had taken a year to create their works for it.

Works are in a range of mediums and by a wide range of artists, with just five from outside Taranaki.

Each of the 31 artists she invited to participate has just one work, embodying their true self.

The artists had to decide whether to examine themselves in a self-portrait or look outward at the way they view the world, she said.

The exhibition shares stories of youth, multiculturalism, feminism, LGBTQI+ community, mental health journeys and environmental issues.

“It’s been a tough few years for some people,” she said. “This makes a safe space for looking at who they are as a person. It’s a show where you can stop, pause, reflect and take it all in.”

There are explanations from the artists alongside the works that allow the viewer to learn a bit more about each person, something that people had asked for, she said.

The exhibition will run until January 25.