Past Exhibitions

Traverse

26 Nov - 10 Dec 2011

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Artists

Exhibition Works

Curved Square Vase (2011)
Ann Robinson Curved Square Vase (2011)
Spiral Vase #4
Ann Robinson Spiral Vase #4 (2009)
Wide Bowl #41
Ann Robinson Wide Bowl #41 (2011)
Ice Bowl #90
Ann Robinson Ice Bowl #90 (2011)
Sgraffito #1
Elizabeth McClure Sgraffito #1 (2011)
Sgraffito #2
Elizabeth McClure Sgraffito #2 (2011)
Sgraffito #6
Elizabeth McClure Sgraffito #6 (2011)
Sgraffito #4
Elizabeth McClure Sgraffito #4 (2011)
Cube (White / Yellow)
John Edgar Cube (White / Yellow) (2008)
Cube (Orange / Red)
John Edgar Cube (Orange / Red) (2008)
Element
John Edgar Element (2008)
Japonica - For Midge
Layla Walter Japonica - For Midge (2008)
Hua (Seed)
Te Rongo Kirkwood Hua (Seed) (2011)
Taumarumaru (Shadow)
Te Rongo Kirkwood Taumarumaru (Shadow) (2011)
Ranga Wairua (Inspiration)
Te Rongo Kirkwood Ranga Wairua (Inspiration) (2011)
Grow 4
Galia Amsel Grow 4 (2010)
Whakakotahitanga (Union) 1
Te Rongo Kirkwood Whakakotahitanga (Union) 1 (2011)
Blew
Galia Amsel Blew (2011)
Purl
Galia Amsel Purl (2011)
Fresh 2
Galia Amsel Fresh 2 (2011)
Ovoid (Cobalt Blue) [15743] (2011)
Christine Cathie Ovoid (Cobalt Blue) [15743] (2011)
Ovoid (Red) [15744] (2011)
Christine Cathie Ovoid (Red) [15744] (2011)
Amorphism (Yellow)
Christine Cathie Amorphism (Yellow) (2010)
Amorphism (Cobalt Blue)
Christine Cathie Amorphism (Cobalt Blue) (2010)
Matuku Moana Jugs (Pale Blue)
Mike Crawford Matuku Moana Jugs (Pale Blue) (2011)
Matuku Moana Jugs (Pale Grey)
Mike Crawford Matuku Moana Jugs (Pale Grey) (2011)
Four Shades of White
Wendy Fairclough Four Shades of White (2009)
Softened Landscape II
Wendy Fairclough Softened Landscape II (2009)
Reticello Canoe Paddle [MH6]
Luke Jacomb Reticello Canoe Paddle [MH6] (2008)
Black Canoe Paddle [15751]
Luke Jacomb Black Canoe Paddle [15751] (2011)
Red Canoe Paddle [15750]
Luke Jacomb Red Canoe Paddle [15750] (2011)
Murrine Pacifica [12398]
Luke Jacomb Murrine Pacifica [12398] (2008)
Horizon Line
Stephen Bradbourne Horizon Line (2011)
Infinity No 1
Stephen Bradbourne Infinity No 1 (2011)
Black Infinity
Stephen Bradbourne Black Infinity (2011)
Infinity No 2
Stephen Bradbourne Infinity No 2 (2011)
Large Star Lei
Emily Siddell Large Star Lei (2010)
Large Shell Lei
Emily Siddell Large Shell Lei (2011)
Heart Lei
Emily Siddell Heart Lei (2010)
Bear with a Ribbon Bow
Vicki Fanning Bear with a Ribbon Bow (2011)
Renaissance [15706]
Sue Hawker Renaissance [15706] (2011)
Blues Begone [15705]
Sue Hawker Blues Begone [15705] (2011)
Fallen Up [15703]
Sue Hawker Fallen Up [15703] (2011)
In the Purple
Sue Hawker In the Purple (2011)
Transference 19
Claudia Borella Transference 19 (2009)
Shift II
Claudia Borella Shift II (2009)
Waitakere Evening (2009)
Claudia Borella Waitakere Evening (2009)
Olive Landscape Vessel
Lyndsay Patterson Olive Landscape Vessel (2010)
Large Eel Green Murrine Vessel [13504]
Lyndsay Patterson Large Eel Green Murrine Vessel [13504] (2009)
Gold Amethyst Murrine Vessel (2008)
Lyndsay Patterson Gold Amethyst Murrine Vessel (2008)

Exhibition Text

Traverse is a major exhibition of New Zealand Glass, directly addressing the significant achievements evident in the three preceding years.

The story of New Zealand glass has for some decades now been dominated by cast glass but this is no longer so. The hot glass work of Stephen Bradbourne, Wendy Fairclough, Luke Jacomb, Lyndsay Patterson and Elizabeth McClure demonstrate a broad array of innovative skills, concerns and techniques which address both the long-tradition of blown (hot) glass and reveal them to be individual masters of their art and craft.

There is also a growing, diverse group of artists working with glass in other ways – John Edgar is a sculptor who assembles glass with stone, building linear patterns and sharp visual combinations. Claudia Borella and Te Rongo Kirkwood use slumping and fusing techniques and carve the surfaces. Emily Siddell combines white ceramic, clear glass and a repetitive technique to produce iconic lei-inspired forms, sourcing as numerous artists do the broad cultural dynamics of New Zealand and the Pacific. Vicki Fanning uses a flame technique of clear glass cut into strips and worked, before being assembled on to a surface structure of cloth over wood.

This three year period viewed in Traverse is “book-ended” by Luke Jacomb’s solo exhibitions at the New Orleans Museum of Art (Sept 2008) and Otago Museum (2011) as well as Evelyn Dunstan’s first major exhibition at Milford Galleries Queenstown. In the latter exhibition, Pathways, Dunstan demonstrates why her work is receiving substantial international acclaim and that she has developed unique idiosyncratic methods, a powerful paradoxical narrative and combined this with literal observations of beauty. Traverse and Pathways should be viewed and considered in conjunction.

Numerous achievements have occurred in this time also. In 2010 Sue Hawker was awarded the important Ranamok Glass Prize. Christine Cathie, Galia Amsel, Claudia Borella, John Edgar have been routinely exhibiting in places as diverse as France, England, Scotland, Hong Kong, Australia, USA.

Christine Cathie and Sue Hawker work in cast glass in vastly different ways but are united by a colourist’s use of expression. Cathie’s primary concerns are with rhythm and altering shape with varied line of sight. Hawker’s astonishing pate de verre deconstructed vases are unique major pioneering developments of an ages old technique. The results are works of remarkable complexity and presence.

Galia Amsel’s work is represented in more museum collections worldwide than any other New Zealand-based artist. Her work is expressive, atmospheric and the visual role performed by the internal space is integral to the drama which unfolds. Her works have elaborately worked surfaces and are geometric, triangulated shapes and forms which twist and change.

Ann Robinson continues to be the pre-eminent figure of New Zealand glass through a process of ceaseless sequential development in her work. She is acknowledged as one of the greatest glass artists of the world and the inventor of the cast glass technique now used everywhere. Her work is design and form based with an explicit visual language forged in the natural environment and botany of New Zealand. Her work uses glass mass, tone, the certainty of line and form with the varied properties of colour in breathtaking ways.

Traverse is collective testimony to the continuous and broad achievement that distinguishes New Zealand glass and for which it is being openly acknowledged internationally.

exhibition catalogue