Art Exhibition 2020
To further encourage and provoke death conversations in the community, in November 2020 an exciting art exhibition called Death and Transformation is opening in Christchurch. Five New Zealand artists are each creating a series of work for this event based on their own unique relationships with grief, loss and death.
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Tackling Death & Transformation Through Art
by Will Harvie
Stuff - November 2020
Five artists grapple with grief, loss and death in an exhibition and sale that opens Tuesday in Christchurch. While that sounds final and depressing, all the artists seem to be on a journey of some sort. The best known is Tony Cribb, creator of the Tin Man character. Cribb had brain surgery because of cancer in 2014 and has been on a long recovery since.
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Five reasons to come
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Following the 2nd Death Matters Conference, the exhibition invites you to join the death conversation in a fresh and inspiring way.
Join us at the opening where you can meet the artists and have the first opportunity to see and purchase their creations. All work is for sale with the majority of proceeds returned to the artists.
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JESS GUNN
Lace Luminaries
I will always be an artist. I am inspired in so many ways by the human experience. It feels especially rewarding to have a growing
collection of my work held in private homes in New Zealand, England, France, Switzerland and the U.S.A.
I am inspired by light and shadow, pattern and form. My lace luminaries evolved from a love of fabric and hand sewing and were
influenced by the sculptural processes of Louise Bourgoise and Eva Hesse. Each luminarie is as unique as each piece of fabric I work
from. This is a delight for me, as I stitch pieces together and then build a supporting mould which allows me to apply multiple layers of
a durable ceramic urethane to form a one of a kind standing temple of light.
TONY CRIBB
Tin Man
Tony Cribb spent his childhood in stubbies making SodaStream fizzy drinks and doodling pictures. Nothing much has changed over the
years - except for the fizzy being replaced with cups of tea... and maybe a sneaky coffee.
Cribb has been exhibiting in galleries throughout New Zealand since 2001, with his works being held in private collections both locally
and internationally. His style can best be described as QUIRKY with a dark sense of humour.
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Much of Cribb’s work revolves around themes of goals and journeys and the difficulties inherent in both. But with a typically light touch
his work is ultimately encouraging and inspiring.
BRENDA KNIGHT
Portals of Light
'Who would’ve thought that when I left the Police Force 5 years ago, with no idea as to what I was going to do, that I would end up creating and selling my own art as well as teaching others how to paint too? Nope! Not me! I didn’t even know I was creative!
It was a desire to buy some large funky artwork for my large white walls but couldn’t find anything I like which got me started. And once
I did - I just couldn’t stop!'
Brenda has also developed a very popular series of workshops for artistic beginners and stressed out corporates called Become a
Creative Giant. She regularly helps people of all ages unblock their creative flow through a guided and playful painting process.
DAN SUMMERS
Heart Stones
Dan is a landscape architect and has been the creative force at Louden Farm (the beautiful property where Sculpture on the Peninsula is held) for over a decade. His father was renowned sculptor Llew Summers. Dan started messing about with copper as a sculptural medium when he was 25, but he didn’t try working in stone until recently. It was Llew who encouraged him to work in stone after falling ill. Before he died Llew handed over all his tools and equipment to Dan, and this was the catalyst for his current series of stone hearts.
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By way of passing the torch many of Dan's heart stones sit on old pedestals and bases that his father had made. Dan lives in Oxford and works on Loudon Farm three days a week, doing maintenance and all the creative landscaping around the farm.
ELIZABETH LOVE
Grief and Love
Elizabeth Love is known for her works that use expressive colourism, handwritten words, and textured collage. She has recently been gold-leafing smooth stones and layering these into her work.
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She has a Masters of Arts in Arts Therapy; a form of psychotherapy to enhance individuals’ physical, mental, emotional, relational and spiritual well being. The emphasis is on the process of creating and meaning-making, rather than on an end product.
Love has always been interested in art and creativity as part of everyday life.