Peter Gouge’s abstract works layer energetic, hypnotic colour and patterns in interlocking collages of forms. Described as “bright, strident, pulsing contemporary glam” by commentator Mark Amery, Gouge’s works—physically expressive visualisations of the electronic music scene—are named for abbreviations of apparently forgotten song titles, and hung as ‘beats’ or rhythms in space, as if they’re jumping off the walls or slumped on the floor.

Gouge revels in finding new ways to explore the construction and textural qualities of materials in his works, utilising plywood, jute and carpet as sculptural painting surfaces, echoing the visual play between the forms and layers running under and over each other. Situating his works between Minimalism and ‘action painting’ the artist describes this uncomfortable, unsatisfactory middle ground as ‘a good way to push off to the future, to keep making paintings’,

Peter Gouge (born 1984, Auckland) graduated with a Bachelor of Design in 2009, and a Master of Design in 2016 from Auckland‘s Unitec Institute of Technology.
Gouge has exhibited at City Gallery Wellington, in the Courtenay Place Park Lightboxes, at The Young Gallery, Wellington and Melanie Roger Gallery, Auckland. Gouge lives and works in Gainesville, Florida.