Secret Santa
The See Here Group Show 2020
December 16 - January 10
The artists of The See Here celebrate the holidays by gifting each other a Secret Santa present. Each day a different gift will be opened and displayed.
DAY 11
Pam Brabants: LB (Homage to Louise Bourgeois), 2018. Found record cover 1971, reductive collage and ink pen
I was enthralled walking beneath a metal sculpture by Louise Bourgeois, called Maman (or Mummy) in the turbine hall of Tate Modern, London. Maman depicts a spider, over 30ft high and 33 ft wide. LB is a homage to the great Bourgeois and the complex aspects of Motherhood.
DAY 10:
Vivien Atkinson: Censored. Hand-cut stencil print, acrylic paint, cartridge paper 250mm x 350mm
The film Fahrenheit 451 made a profound and lasting impression on me. I first saw it at a time when I was discovering the joys of literature and an enduring love of books in general. My interest in censorship has resulted in a number of works looking into various aspects of this complex subject. The issue of blocking or removing posts and tweets from social media has brought the question of what is censored and who makes the decision with regard to these actions once again into the spotlight.
The print is the censored frontispiece of a book I innocently enjoyed as a small child.
DAY 9:
Mel Ford: Wheel thrown stoneware bowl with an alkaline copper glaze fired to cone 6
DAY 8:
Tia Venning: Tū Kōhatu, 2020. Recycled heart rimu wood, recycled sealing wax, cotton cord, etching paint, gold wax, pigment
Tū Kōhatu is a 'Taonga Tākaro' (traditional Māori game). It involves players stacking rocks one upon the other to build stone towers. The winner prevails with a standing tower when all others have toppled.
I took this simple game as inspiration for creating a piece of jewellery that stood for the power of connectedness in times of uncertainty. I did this by connecting the heart rimu faceted forms to each other, not in a tower, but in an even embrace. Sealing wax represents the maintained connection to unique identities even when grouped with others.
DAY 7:
Nina Duijnhoven: It is a fleeting thing. Pendant, Acid free paper, pastel, suede cord
Permanence is an illusion.
DAY 6:
Greta Menzies: Untitled. Extra Schwartz clay with clear glaze. 2020.
Tea/soup mug, from an ongoing series of anthropomorphised every-day objects.
DAY 5
Marilyn Jones: Mini Gleam, Various textiles, 750mm x 450mm
We recently moved to New Plymouth, and while waiting for the furniture truck to arrive, I used the time to make The See Here Christmas present. Without my usual equipment with me, I went back to sewing and cutting basics - no problem to use the floor as the cutting table, or the dining table as my sewing desk…
DAY 4:
Caroline Thomas: Breastplate, 2020, polymer clay, ribbon
This work is a response to the minefield of what it means to be female.
carolinethomas.co.nz
DAY 3
Sarah Read: Homecoming -The Jewellers Have Landed
Mothership pendant and two small craft. Found frame, glass beads, safety pins, map pins, printed image Tasman St, taken by artist 12/12/2020
Celebrating our return to Life as we know it. Happy holidays everyone; here’s to a brighter new year.
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DAY 2
Becky Bliss: X7 Brooch: mild steel, copper, paint
A space junk jigsaw puzzle.
Day 1
Sandy Connon: Sanctuary Platter, Gelli plate transfer on clay
When our nation-wide lockdown enveloped us I felt incredibly lucky to have a warm and safe home to retreat to. I then thought about symbols of protection and hope. The circle is a symbol of “Original protection” and infinity.