Art seen: 3 November

Soar, by Phil Brooks. Photo: Image courtesy of Phil Brooks and Milford Galleries Queenstown; Photography: Glenn Frei

Phil Brooks

(Milford Galleries, Queenstown)

Birds soar in even lines, their wings outstretched, just barely brushing against each other, creating patterns that look almost abstract from a distance. Ceramicist Phil Brooks’ solo exhibition takes a deep dive into the elegant, soaring sensations of natural flight. Working with a muted palette of earthen tones and overcast days, the vessels utilise light and shadow to suggest the calm glide of wings overhead, the gentle drift of near-weightless objects in the air, and combative or collaborative meetings amidst the clouds.

The textured surface of Glide is suggestive of a rainy day, the birds swooping above the wetness and mud below. In Soar, the linear wingspans circle the bowl, creating an infinite loop of movement and migration. From one angle, the work emanates freedom and joy, the birds dancing across the surface as if they might soar outwards from the vessel at any moment, reaching out like people holding hands. At another view, the composition takes on an air of intimidation, the birds joining in military formation, dark shadows closing in.

A favourite work is Lift, in which encircling, angel-like wings appear to be holding the vessel aloft, sheltering and protective, keeping it balanced; while Drift is a sweep farther into abstracted patterning, with oval shapes scattered across the surface and falling inside, reminiscent of swirling, sweeping leaves, carried along on a gust of wind. The interior backgrounds darken as if heading behind the clouds, out of the sun.

Kina Kete I, by Andi Regan. Photo: L Elliott

(Hullabaloo Art Space, Cromwell)

Hullabaloo Art Space’s new collective exhibition explores the concept of the vessel, both in its literal and functional form, and its metaphorical sense as a carrier and emblem of ideals. Painter Gail de Jong continues to capture the spirit of Central Otago’s goldmining past with her Miners Relic, an earthy, gold-dusted depiction of a clay vessel, the background scuffed and glinting, as if myriad boots have crossed the ground, leaving tiny traces of gold. The hills and valleys of these lands bear the stories and fates of thousands of individual lives, their tools and vessels imbued with dreams and visions of a better life. De Jong has also cleverly utilised a found object, transforming a crushed, rusted metal bucket into a striking sculptural piece, scattered with gold, the metal wires twisting like the handles of a bag, a link between historical wealth and modern commerce.

Andi Regan builds on her brilliant sculptural work with cable ties, repurposing a symbol of man-made progress, industry and engineering to depict creatures and imagery of the natural world. Her Kina Kete I is stunning, an intricately wrought homage to the traditional Maori flax basket and the kina, a long-time source of nutrition and sustenance. The spiky fronds and black centre offer a hint of menace, the sea urchin’s defensive sting. Jeweller Jennifer Hay’s work complements Regan’s beautifully, with her miniature recreation of nature’s vessels — nests, chrysalises, and cocoons — each yielding up a hidden treasure of corresponding earrings.

Wild Flowers Meadow, Spring 1. Photo: Melanie Eade

(Eade Gallery, Clyde)

Flowers flourish within encroaching shadows, a flash of colour in the hazy black-and-white mists of memory. Annemarie Hope-Cross’ latest collection of photogenic drawings and cyanotypes continues a personal journey of hope and courage, faith and love. From the beginnings of harsh chemicals and blank sheets of possibility, Hope-Cross masters the contrasting powers of sunlight and shadow, drawing out images of timeless beauty and enduring grace.

Every piece has Hope-Cross’ characteristic delicacy of touch and perfectly balanced composition, casting ephemeral blooms and fleeting moments into lasting elegance. The photogenic drawings are almost cinematic in effect, invested with both contemplative stillness and subtle drama. Working with the earliest photographic processes, Hope-Cross uses silver nitrate and a "mousetrap" camera to create the image, requiring hours of exposure time; the process reflects the experience of life when love and beauty can occur in spontaneous instants, but deepen and develop over time.

With the blue-toned cyanotypes, iron is used to make a cyanotype liquid that coats the paper before objects are placed directly on the surface; in the sunlight, a chemical reaction imprints the imagery. Works like Wildflowers Meadow, Spring 1 reflect both the intricate artistry and the scientific process. The scene is wistful, dreamy and romantic, reminding the viewer of walks in the sun-drenched countryside, the scent of the wildflowers lingering in the air; equally, it’s easy to imagine historical botanists making careful records of their findings, as the past, present, and future collide and unite.

By Laura Elliott