art | eastlife
Discovering form As Arts Festival Out East kicks off in earnest this month, 15 sculptural works will be displayed from March 1 until March 16 as part of the Discovering Form sculpture trail organised by Uxbridge, Howick’s Creative Centre at the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple in Flat Bush. Open to the public Tuesday to Sunday from 9am-5pm, entry is free and all works are for sale. NATALIE BRITTAN paints a picture of the artists behind two art installations featuring at the exhibition.
Follow the rabbit trail The rabbits have come out to play in the tranquil grounds of the Fo Guang Shan Temple but Antoinette Ratcliffe’s little bunnies are not as innocent as they seem. Antoinette’s work entitled ‘All Aboard’ and featuring a group of five, small painted ceramic rabbits with a dark side, is available for sale as a collection or separately. Invited by Uxbridge curator Emma Topping to exhibit, Antoinette says the peaceful temple setting serves as contrast and adds another dimension to her unusually noir-themed work.
rabbits don’t have fangs but have many other layers which tie in well with the theme of the sculpture trail, Discovering Form. “Even though they’re sculptured they are more of a flat canvas for me to discover which reveals different tones in different light.” The animal lover and full-time vet nurse says her job is the main source of inspiration. “I find it’s my richest resource.... animals have a good sense of humour and they get into some strange situations sometimes!”
“My little bunnies are little zombie bunnies that have puddles of blood around them but they’re just having some peaceful time out with the Buddhists – which is unusual for them – they’re having a little holiday!”
In fact, it was an unfortunate incident with a rabbit on the operating table that became the catalyst for All Aboard. “I was training a student once, and we did a late-night C-section on a bunny and the baby came out stillborn.”
Unlike previous creations, these
Antoinette says the student comically
A tale of two artists Clevedon artists James Wright and Becca Bolscher could not be more different but their love of art is what unites them. James’ work is hard and steely; Becca’s is soft and pretty. He is an established artist known for public works at the Pukekohe War Memorial and the Auckland Botanic Gardens, and she is an emerging artist. Together, they are creating a 1.9m high ‘floating’ sculpture called Whakaruru (Maori for guardian). It was the rural township and James’ reputation that helped the two artists meet. “I’ve lived in Clevedon all my life so I knew James lived down the road,” says Becca. In fact, James recalls a conversation with Becca’s parents at the local shop telling him about their daughter’s talents, “as proud parents do”. www.eastlife.co.nz
Then, last year, James and his wife, Cheryl, started an art gallery in Clevedon called Art Industry, which Becca was keen to be a part of. “Her work came into the shop and I was like, ‘wow’! I fell in love with it. From there I wanted to reach out and do something together,” he says. That opportunity came early this year when James was invited to exhibit at Discovering Form by sculpture trail organiser and Uxbridge curator, Emma Topping. One of Becca’s pieces at the gallery struck a chord with the well-respected artist of 15 years. “For me it was about discovering the form of Becca’s work and I wanted to look through it. To me it was a window; I wanted to see more, and take it to another level,” says James. Becca’s work is based upon the
asked if she could shake, rub or clear its lungs to bring it back to life. “In the end, she finally understood it wasn’t going to be revived and saw the humour behind it.” The surprise element is also very much a part of Antoinette’s ethos.
This influence is described on her website as “giving the installations an awareness of a quiet, sinister suspense as the visitors are watched by the shiny candy-coloured zombie animals that are almost lickable themselves.”
“The basic structure of horror movies often has innocent people trotting around and something happens, the car dies...and they find themselves lost in the dark or in an undesirable situation.
Antoinette holds a Master of Arts from The School of Media Arts in Hamilton and her work has been featured at Wallace Arts Trust Pah Homestead in Auckland, the Waitakaruru Sculpture Park near Morrinsville, Waikato Museum of Art and History and Thistle Hall in Wellington.
“I like making characters you would potentially stumble across with a graphic novel-look that just pop out wherever.”
She has also exhibited as part of fringe festivals in Auckland and Hamilton and various art spaces throughout New Zealand.
Buddhist mandala, a meditative circle composed of many granules of coloured sand.
Contrast is particularly evident. “We’ve taken the softness of the conceptual idea and put it into a hard material to keep it looking feminine.”
She says the location of the sculpture trail was ideal. “I’ve always been drawn to circles and with this exhibition coming up, it was quite fitting as well.” The former hydroponics farmer says nature inspires most of her work and James agrees – “it’s hard not to be, living in picturesque Clevedon valley.” “Nature just resonates here. You’re often close to birds and animals so you have a real affiliation with them.” Featuring a bigger circle “protecting” a smaller circle, the sculpture is made mostly from corten steel, a hardy medium James says is designed for the outdoors. “Corten steel is made from copper and nickel so it has longevity, and its natural patina looks after itself.”
The collaboration is a “seed” that will hopefully “blossom” and “open doors” for Becca, a visual arts graduate from the University of Auckland. “We talked about me being a mentor,” says James, who has no formal art training and qualifications. “But Becca has much more to offer and teach proving you can teach an old dog new tricks!” As to the outcome of the journey, nobody knows, but the artists are hopeful that new discoveries will be made. “It’s going to be a journey. We’re making a piece for people to discover, but it’s also going to be a discovery for us. “It’s going to be big and bold but, at the same time, quite harmonious.” eastlife | march 2014 |
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