Opening night:
Friday 1st November, 5pm – 7pm
This exhibition is a continuation of ideas from recent works which were under the collective title, ’Sharing the Dry’. In these works I introduced ideas and observations around the storage and protection of water and the importance natural hydro systems play in the environment.
Devices were employed to create a visual language. Many of these devices were gourd-like objects which served to represent systems of storage such as lakes, estuaries, wetlands, clouds, the vase in still life and even the vase of an ancient star constellation.
Each of these storage systems are part of the integrated whole but all have their own unique infrastructure which supports and provides its own character to specific areas of the landscape. Some of these may be referenced in the titles. The tree form continues from the previous works as an integrated device representing the branches of itself as well as the rivers and waterways and the fauna that inhabits them. The type of tree can also provide meaning to a particular work such as the protective thorns of the Matagouri or the dry land shrubs such as Muehlenbeckia and Corokia.
In this exhibition, the title ‘From Flower to Flower’ comes from the work, From Flower to Flower, Eels under branches Manuka and Corokia. This work shows the two plants in flower which references the reproductive stage of the plant alongside the wooden gourd storage containers and baby eels (Tunaiki). I have tried to connect this reproductive stage of the plants with the fish and the rivers. It is no coincidence that the rivers are usually flowing high at this time.
All works feature flowers and some berries and the titles hopefully offer some insight into the particular variation of each work. With the environment under such a threat, a tree in full flower can give one a sense of positivity, as too with the rivers in full flow and stocked with migrating fish. This is illustrated in the hopeful wish in the work Forever Forever, the Māori translation of Akeake, or the positivity of the works Posy and Mistletoe.
This collection of works continues to pose the question; are we entering an era of climate extremes, and does nature’s past solutions and adaptations offer us ways to learn and repair?
When we see the Kōwhai and Manuka in full bloom is it not a good time to stop and appreciate?
