Just ONE week to go til our group exhibition "Scattered" opens
and I'm doing my last bit of faffing around planning my layout. To read earlier posts about preparations for this exhibition click here.
All of my pieces are currently spread out across a surface the size of the wall space where I will be hanging them and each time I go past I seem to move a piece here, tweak a bit there, add in one more piece, take one away... There are so many possible alternate combinations for laying out the work that this stage could actually go on forever - but, no, I'm very close to calling it a wrap and beginning to pack it all up ready for installation day on Monday... I think...
Celia's initial idea behind this exhibition was to provide an opportunity for the three of us to have something to work towards, together but also separately. Together in spirit, initial inspiration and mutual support but separate in that we each have our own ways of working and our own interests and ideas.
The title Scattered came about because we are now scattered geographically since Elle has moved away from Auckland - a good 5 hours drive away. We also wanted the show to include works that are scattered in format - not finished pieces of work but works in progress, encouraging us to be more experimental and exploratory in our approaches. Usually we would aim to produce refined and completed works for an exhibition, ready to present and sell to an audience. There are often works which show potential but aren't quite resolved, works that raise possibilities for new directions but that don't make the final cut to fit in with other works in a show or for a myriad of other reasons. In my experience, I have drawers full of partially resolved works that could lead somewhere else but which I never quite get back to.
Speaking for myself, my bit of wall space will be scattered with an array of my experiments and explorations into mark-making, materials and subject matter inspired initially by the shared quote, our starting point. I've used a wide range of printmaking techniques, but have also toyed with some stitching, collage, paper-cutting, paper folding, drawing and paint - some are more serious investigations, many are completely playful such as my mini-dioramas.
My resulting scattering will be a lot like my studio wall/ table/ floor when I'm developing new work, testing new ideas, trialing new techniques. There are lots of little combinations which could be considered resolved and which could be framed or just hung as they are in wee collections. There are other components which could easily lead off on new tangents to inspire new work...in fact, for those who have seen some of my other projects of late you will see familiar snippets - either ideas have been sown here and have morphed into projects of their own or other projects have inspired ideas for this project. Either way works for me and helps me avoid the dreaded "artist's block".
Celia and Elle have both approached the exhibition from their own viewpoints, also creating a scattering of works but with entirely different approaches to mine and to each other. Makes for a really intriguing show which we hope our visitors will enjoy!
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| Image: Celia Walker, 2019 |
"Scattered"
Separated geographically, but connected through ideas, Scattered brings
together artists Celia Walker, Elle Anderson and Toni Hartill with an
expansive scattering of work that responds to ideas around shifting
horizons, uncertain
pathways and traveled landscapes. Individual works act as field notes,
working drawings, partial renderings and snapshots, but operate
together to form a group response to remembered places.
1 Ponsonby Road,
Auckland.
Opens Wednesday May 1st, 5pm.
Please join us!
View 2nd - 30th May, 2019.
Thanks for visiting!
