The Castle in the Sky explores unexpected moments of beauty found through the lens of a restless creative mind bound to the routine of courier work.
Emerging from the artist’s daily routes, the project captures how golden-hour light transformed mundane street scenes into moments of inspiration. What began as a growing archive of reference photos taken on the job evolved into a reflection on the tension between creative ambition and the demands of part-time work.
This debut solo exhibition showcases a new series of oil paintings created from a curated selection of 350+ reference photographs, taken by the artist over five years on delivery routes. The work comprises a large series of painting ‘studies’ created under unique challenges, crescendoing into the Pièce de résistance - An epic surrealist mashup of all the artist’s dreams, inspirations and ideas that led to the exhibition’s creation.
About the artist:
Jason Fastier is an award-winning Wellington-based artist with paintings featured in numerous art shows and galleries across New Zealand. Working from his studio in the heart of the city, his work invites viewers into a bizarre alternate reality grounded in the natural beauty of New Zealand’s landscapes. He highlights hidden local spots and weaves native flora and fauna into his scenes. All of his reference imagery is self-shot, with a particular focus on capturing the warm, evocative light of the golden hour.
jasonfastier.com
@j_fassy
The exhibition runs 13 – 30 November 2025 at Te Auaha Gallery, 65 Dixon Street, Wellington.
Monday - Friday 8:30am - 6pm
Weekends 10am – 3pm
