Maureen Lander is a New Zealand born artist. Her work is based in weaving, sculptures as well as a range of multimedia installation art. The work I am talking about today is called Atapo, meaning before dawn. This material used in this work appears to be mesh as it has transparency to it but still holds itself. It’s as if the work is neither liquid nor solid. It almost sucks you into a trance and you don’t know where to look. You can see some clear lines and shapes depending on what point of view you are standing from. One of my favourite parts is the different colours of string or cotton used in the mesh in a zig-zag weaving pattern. The work feels very heavy to look at from some angles but from the side, it gives you a different perspective of the work.
Another work I took interest in was Eunoia, this work was displayed in a cylinder form, hanging from the ceiling. It is made up of kiln-formed fused glass. This work is inspired by the geometrical patterns found in Maori weaving traditions. My eye was also caught by the shadows cast on the ground by the tiles. It’s as if the shadows create work in themselves.
So far I have really enjoyed this brief more than I expected. I have finished my first two sculptures made from metal and was surprised by the outcome. Since the spot welder was out of order, I had to improvise. I understand that things don’t always go as planned but there are always rules and limitations. This allowed me to try another way to connect my works. For My “hammock” shaped work I drilled holes in all the joining parts and then threaded the wire through the holes. I found that the wire on itself didn’t have enough friction to hold itself up. So for my rectangle-shaped work, I bought some thin silver wire to connect it. I also like the contrast between the rusty steel and the clean silver.
Next, I am hoping to make 3-6 more sculptures, I am taking inspiration from my last sculptures for ideas for my next steps. I am looking into thin plastic as a way to make plains in my work.
Isabella – a great post on Atapou. Your reflection on your studio work is providing a useful sense of direction, although please try to post images of your work and process as you go. Let me know if you have problems with this or need a camera for example?