Gold.Flax.Paper Exhibition 2020 - Left Bank Gallery

The Left Bank Gallery in Greymouth hosted the second Gold.Flax.Paper Exhibition from 25 February to 19 March 2020. The first exhibition was in Hokitika a year ago.

Gold.Flax.Paper: a collaboration of three Hokitika artists

Kira Birchfield, jeweller – gold
Anne Daniel, fibre artist – flax/harakeke
Kate Buckley, visual artist – paper

Flax – holes and curves

My work for this exhibition was mainly themed around holes and curves and created from harakeke (flax – phormium tenax). “Fermentation” – a sculptural piece created for this year’s Driftwood and Sand sculpture event on Hokitika beach – provided the inspiration. However, I used a new minimalist base for this installation.

Random weave works

The Symbiosis series uses a similar technique to “Fermentation”. I formed the outer and inner curves with supplejack, ripogonum scandens which is a native vine growing in the bush on our property. The random weaving uses narrow strips of harakeke.

“Genesis” incorporated similar random weaving but harakeke was used for the frame. A randomly woven tube threaded with a length of wire, then stuffed with left over harakeke, formed the closed curves.

Netting

I used knotting and looping to create a series of netted works from harakeke. These are quite delicate works and, as with many of the works in this exhibition, can be hung in different ways, so you can have an ever changing artwork. They create some interesting shadows when hung.

Amoeba series

I created my first Amoeba for the Edges exhibition a few years ago. For this exhibition, I created three different sized ‘Amoeba”. I made a flat plait and wove wire in along the edge. Then I joined the ends to form a closed curve before manipulating it to form the indentations. Because the works are at a rightangle to the wall, they also create a lot of shadowing with appropriate lighting.

Kupenga weave

“Beginnings” is a tube created from harakeke using the kupenga weave and then shaped.

Other works

Yet again, it was a pleasure to collaborate with Kira and Kate in this second Gold.Flax.Paper Exhibition. Sarah Harvey opened it for us -so, thank you, Sarah. A good-sized crowd attended the mid-week opening. After that, many more people saw it before it closed early due to Covid 19.

Comments

“I saw the exhibition today, and was so moved by the beauty and integrity in all the differing work. From dramatic charcoal works on paper to fine modern harakeke sculpture and gold and silver adornment…..fine,delicate precious pieces. Do try and see this exhibition, beautiful work by 3 fine west coast artists.”