Jessica Crothall, 'Kahikatea', Aug/Sep 2023, Atelier Studio|Gallery
Photo Credit
Exhibition Details
atelier.org.nzYou are warmly invited to the opening preview of Kahikatea - Moss and Mist by Dunedin-based artist, Jessica Crothall.
In this latest series of paintings, Jessica Crothall moves away from earlier techniques to better respond to the Kahikatea rain forest. In reference to the way fungal plants and moss hang from the Kahikatea branches, Crothall adopts a dripping approach in applying the watered-down acrylic paints, similar to the way one might use Indian or Japanese inks. In this process, water is also generously poured on to the canvases, which are painted to capture the essence of a typical rainforest with heavy downpours.
Interestingly, Kahikatea can support entire ecosystems on their trunks and branches. A scientist once found 28 different plants living on one tree – lianas (twining and climbing plants like supplejack, kiekie, and our native passionfruit and native jasmine). Kahikatea trees also manage to stand upright in the soft wet soils by intertwining their roots. For Māori, this unique growth pattern is seen as a symbol of strength in unity. Crothall’s paintings respond to this concept, reflecting on our current times of increasing extreme weather events, cyclones, storms, and heavy rainfalls, how important it is that we are there for one another. As the Kahikatea, we cannot stand alone, we need the presence of others to sustain us and hold each other up.
All work is for sale, and the artist will be in attendance.
For private viewings, please contact David at the gallery.
We look forward to seeing you and celebrating this show with light refreshments and wine from Flaxmore Vineyards and Stoke NPA from McCashin’s brewery!
You are warmly invited to the opening preview of Kahikatea - Moss and Mist by Dunedin-based artist, Jessica Crothall.
In this latest series of paintings, Jessica Crothall moves away from earlier techniques to better respond to the Kahikatea rain forest. In reference to the way fungal plants and moss hang from the Kahikatea branches, Crothall adopts a dripping approach in applying the watered-down acrylic paints, similar to the way one might use Indian or Japanese inks. In this process, water is also generously poured on to the canvases, which are painted to capture the essence of a typical rainforest with heavy downpours.
Interestingly, Kahikatea can support entire ecosystems on their trunks and branches. A scientist once found 28 different plants living on one tree – lianas (twining and climbing plants like supplejack, kiekie, and our native passionfruit and native jasmine). Kahikatea trees also manage to stand upright in the soft wet soils by intertwining their roots. For Māori, this unique growth pattern is seen as a symbol of strength in unity. Crothall’s paintings respond to this concept, reflecting on our current times of increasing extreme weather events, cyclones, storms, and heavy rainfalls, how important it is that we are there for one another. As the Kahikatea, we cannot stand alone, we need the presence of others to sustain us and hold each other up.
All work is for sale, and the artist will be in attendance.
For private viewings, please contact David at the gallery.
We look forward to seeing you and celebrating this show with light refreshments and wine from Flaxmore Vineyards and Stoke NPA from McCashin’s brewery!
