Art seen: August 24

Evening Drove, by Jamie Stewart.

(The Artist's Room)

The Artist's Room is celebrating its 19th year on the Dunedin art scene with a heady exhibition of work by the gallery's better-known and lesser-known artists.

The gallery is filled with both two- and three-dimensional work, some of it already known through recent display, other pieces giving a glimpse at artists who are as yet not widely recognised locally.

It is this latter body of work which catches the attention. This is not to say that the works of Foley, Demente, Stent and other regular exhibitors is not excellent work. The exhibition, however, presents a perfect opportunity to become acquainted with other artists, many of whom have provided work that is well-deserving of its presence.

Jamie Stewart's paintings are one such group of works. His rich oil landscapes capture the atmosphere of the southern land. There is a traditional element to the artist's style, but works like Misty Valley transcend this to create something distinctive. James Watkins' cubism-inspired works are also impressive, as are two paintings by Athena Passione, a figure study and a landscape, each of which reduces its subject to its intriguing essentials.

Among the sculptural works, Brad Johnson's metal animal studies are fine, character-filled pieces, as is Andrea Cooper's poignant bronze Gorilla.

Tāhuhu Kōrero, by Israel Tangaroa Birch.

(Milford Gallery)

Israel Birch produces fascinating constructions in etched stainless steel, which is lacquered and burnished to create patterns and interplays of light across its surface.

In his latest exhibition at Milford Gallery, he reaches deep within his cultural roots to produce kōwhaiwhai, traditional patterns that represent the language of the environment and the spread of traditional knowledge.

Birch's works appear as rich wall hangings, the strong primal colours and central kōwhaiwhai motifs overlaid with polished crescents which reflect and catch the light. As we move past the works, we see shapes and forms approach and recede, as if we are passing by flame, water, or forest. The perceived overlapping of layers of light and movement gives the work a strong three-dimensionality. Elements of poutama — a symbol of education — and purapurawhetū are evoked in ‘Poutama — Tree of Knowledge and the form of Tāhuhu Kōrero becomes a representation of the passing of spoken knowledge between generations. Other affirmations of strength, such as the symbolic shark form of Mangōpare are also represented.

In several of the works, words appear within the burnish, adding an extra element to the construction. The entire becomes a celebration of spiritual strength and — as in the title of one of the works — Manawa Ora, the breath of life.

Fortune (A Knitted Yum Cha For My Mother's 90th Birthday) (detail), by Bev Moon.

(Hocken Collections Gallery)

"Fortune", at the Hocken, centrally features the work of Chinese New Zealander Bev Moon. Surrounding this work is archival material detailing the lives and conditions faced by Chinese immigrants to New Zealand and their descendants.

Moon's central work combines two skills learnt from the artist's mother and grandmother: cooking and knitting. Both form a strong bond for Moon, connecting her with her family, and by extension with China. In combining these skills, the artist has created a fabric Yum Cha, a festive table of food to be shared out among a multitude of guests. Moon here acknowledges her lineage, most notably by dedicating the "food" to her mother. Simultaneously, she connects the viewer with the most visible occupations of Chinese New Zealanders, at least in the early days of settlement: food growers and restaurateurs.

Around this display, we see historical artefacts: photographs, documents, and other materials that tell the story of local Chinese settlement.

In particular, we are reminded of the logistical, societal, and political barriers that made the transition to the new country difficult, from blatant systemic racism to the poll tax. Though New Zealand is still far from racism free and there is much to do, this display gives a sobering indication of how far we have come.

By James Dignan