A clashing ’70s colour scheme complete with swirls and textures might not be for the faint of heart, but to 2023 Frances Hodgkins Fellow Emily Hartley-Skudder it is bliss.
It is also the culmination of a year’s work and the rare opportunity to focus entirely on art for that time.
"The opportunity to develop my dream public exhibition, completely self driven, with the team at the Hocken there to help make it happen is a real honour and something that is quite rare.
"Working in the realm of installation means I often need an institutional gallery’s support to realise many of my ideas, so this is a particularly significant opportunity for me to make some key ideas for artworks a reality."
Hartley-Skudder arrived in Dunedin, having moved south from Wellington, with her collection of bathroom vanities and accessories at the ready.
"I am happy to say that I will be showcasing my stockpile of clamshell-themed paraphernalia in this exhibition, and some wonderfully dated bathtubs!"
She has even been able to add to her collection this year despite trying to curb her collecting urges.
"A plastic replica clawfoot bathtub, and another twin clamshell vanity top with blue-purple swirls are some of the best finds this year."
They form the basis of her new exhibition "Splash Club" at the Hocken Gallery.
"This exhibition ... is all about washing and bathing and the personal, intimate rituals we undertake in bathrooms every day."
It also includes installations, readymade sculpture and oil paintings created by Hartley-Skudder.
Alongside these pieces are loan works from the Hocken Collection, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Christchurch Art Gallery and other institutions around the country in the intersecting genres of "La Toilette" and "Birth of Venus".
Searching out the works has given Hartley-Skudder a chance to try her hand at being a curator as well as an artist.
"It has been such a valuable and unique opportunity to work with the Hocken Collections to develop this exhibition — especially drawing from their experience with historic artworks."
She is particularly excited about being able to include an oil painting by former Hodgkins fellow and previous collaborator Heather Straka, Repeat after me ... Amanda #3 (2008) which is owned by the Hocken.
"This painting was made by Heather during her own fellowship year in 2008, so it’s really fitting for it to be included."
Pulling together the exhibition comes at the end of what became a really busy year for Hartley-Skudder as she tried her hand at working on multiple projects at once while "Splash Club" was ticking along throughout.
"There were a lot of ideas and intentions that fell by the wayside during the year, but I was able to achieve a lot and do, almost too many, exhibitions because of being financially supported by the university and having that extra time that’s usually taken up by a side-hustle job.
"I’m not sure how successful I was at that approach as I’m rather frazzled now, but it is really rewarding to now see how everything feeds into each other and culminates in this large exhibition and also in the publication, which will be released in a couple of months."
She admits it took a while to settle into Dunedin and the fellowship.
"Being a Frances Hodgkins Fellow has been a great experience but not without a lot of internal pressure to live up to the incredible artists who have come before me.
"It took me a bit of time to get over the ‘imposter syndrome’ of it all, and not be overwhelmed by the weight of the expectations I placed on myself to achieve something that lived up to the legacy."
"It has felt a bit isolating at times, as does moving to anywhere new and making friends.
"Our darling cat Bernie developed cancer, so that unfortunately shaped a large part of the year and made it very tough."
Not that those challenges take away from the joy of finally being able to work full-time on her art.
"To work out of a large, practical and ground-level studio was a real dream.
"Also, I loved having my own printer for unlimited colour printing of all my photographs, floor plans and installation mock-ups."
And to see her "rather maximalist" exhibition with all its colours and textures come to life with its mix of contemporary and historic artworks is a real bonus.
"It’ll be a lot.
"I think there’ll be layers to it, so hopefully viewers will get an initial surprise when they see the installations and then come in for a closer look, as there’s heaps of details too.
"Some of the colour combinations and retro bathroomware may also make you a bit nauseous."
The exhibition
- "Splash Club", by Emily Hartley-Skudder, is at the Hocken Gallery from today until May 18.
