Overview conversations on jewellery in aotearoa, nz issue #16
March 2014 The WUNDERRUMA Edition
inside: Curators Warwick Freeman and Karl Fritsch speak candidly about the road to Munich
The Jewellers Guild of Greater Sandringham visit Fran Allison for conversation and chocolate eclair
Niki Hastings-McFall talks to Sharon Fitness about art and jewellery 2 Overview #16, March 2014 editorial
Hello world. Liesbeth den Besten took her golden pen and wrote a new manifesto for jewellery‐ It’s us. ness. Forget about 'schmuckashau' she states. OK. We will. Te Jewellers Guild of Greater Sandring‐ ham with the frst printed edition of Kristin D’Agostino ofers up an Ameri‐ Overview to celebrate Wunderrūma cu‐ can view of taonga, in order to learn rated by Warwick Freeman and Karl more about her adopted county. What Fritsch. It is some distance from digital do you think? She wants to know and hijinks to tabloid shenanigans and here has provided an addressed aerogramme at Guild headquarters extra meetings, for you to cut out and send back to us with more chips and beer than is good here in Sandringham. for us, were imperative to getting Overview from screen to newsprint. Raewyn Walsh, along with Sharon and Kristin, visit Karl and Warwick to get the And though it has been some time since inside s co op on Wunder r ūma. the Acta Diruna, its daily messages Exclusive! Karl Fritsch is a real person, carved into stone and metal for the Ro‐ not just the head and shoulders seen on man public, we remember its intention screen in these pages. We cannot tell you here in Overview because it represented what the exhibition is going to look like, a transparency in the process of govern‐ but we can tell you about the kind of ment. Tis transparency to process is our thinking that surrounds it. We think beat as well and we bring you an they are awesome. Overview world-view of how over 76 kiwi jewellers came to Munich. We have Look to your right and you will see an reticulated the splines, adjusted the plas‐ invitation to 'an idea' from Renee Bevan ma manifold and calibrated the dilithi‐ and Jhana Millers. Tere is more inside um crystals and gone in search of the from Justine Olsen, Niki Hastings-Mc‐ story behind Wunderrūma. Fall, Neke Moa, Fran Allison, and Zoe Brand. All made possible thanks to the Sharon Fitness and Jo Mears give us a support from sponsorship and advertis‐ topsy-turvy account of which way is up ing and our thanks go to the galleries – depending on where you are standing. and individuals who have contributed to Jo Mears is our newest contributor; fnd this, the Wunderrūma, edition of out what ‘Jules’ gets up to in our next is‐ Overview. sue. Note, any resemblance to real and actual people in this comic strip is purely Kia Ora. coincidental. Overview #16, March 2014 3
throw yourself at the ground and Why? Because to the regular Schmuck at‐ miss.’[i] tendees, we are outsiders. We present an outsider version of contemporary jew‐ It's just a jump We pretty much had to teach ourselves ellery that perhaps has less baggage than how to make jewellery in Aotearoa New the usual European suspects, although still Zealand out of Bone, Stone and Shell – lugging a sidecar of meaning and innuen‐ well we did in the 80’s anyway. A few Eu‐ do particular to the place we come from. f ropeans moved in and taught us tricks in ring to the le the 60’s, and later Herman Junger and You cannot escape time or even Otto Kunzli came to visit, but mostly we creating time lines. Connecting did our own thing. Our jewellery schools things that are not connected. Sharon Fitness and Jo Mears started in the late 80’s. In the 90’s one of Making connections. Time and us moved to Europe and started playing connections. It’s connecting with glue and sheep. time. That’s what they are do- get some global perspective ing they are connecting time. Warwick and Karl are con- necting objects from different times. Bringing them together in a Tardis called Wunderrma.
In Munich, a time warp away from reality space.
Alternative gravitational perspective: Top is the top of the Earth (the bit you are standing on) and down is the centre of the planet.
The internet is like a Tardis. Bringing time capsules together. So Wunderrma could be like the opening of a time capsule, but that time capsule isn’t just one time, its this whole buzz of the things from now and from then that were maybe forgotten, brought out of the drawer, to hold themselves to be just as valuable in this time as they Te right side up world were in that time.
It all depends on what way you look at it The desire to bring together a ‘Lets do the time warp again.’[ii] I suppose. Global perspective. You could bunch of things that kind of say we have a bit of an upside down, speak to each other and the con- By Sharon Fitness & Jo Mears chicken and the egg complex. cept of time when distance was a big problem, and now we are in Who is looking at who.The idea another time, in a time warp, of distance and the problem of where distance is not a problem, [i] Douglas Adams, Te Hitchhikers distance and New Zealand being but there is a desire to connect Guide to the Galaxy (Pan, London) 1979 so far away from the rest of the in person. With Wunderrma there world.The fact that distance is is a timeline with the early [ii] Richard Obrien,“Te Time Warp” not really a problem anymore Maori Taonga stuff and the Bone lyrics, Te Rocky Horror Picture Show, with the internet and all the Stone Shell and the new guns and (20th Century Fox) 1973 imagery. You can see things how- the old guns. ever you wanna see them, but there is still that yearning… To But Europe was inhabited frst so it must go to Europe to see jewellery in NZ eye view be on top. Yes, cavemen invented the flesh and not just to see schmuck. imagery. To make connections. Before, you could only bridge that distance by getting on an Te city comes alive with a swarm of con‐ If you stand on your head and look aeroplane, and now you can temporary jewellers weaving in and out of down at Earth from above the South bridge it on the internet. The the galleries. Meeting new people becomes Pole you would see the Earth rotating internet is almost like a Tardis almost more important than seeing the clockwise on its axis and rotating clock‐ that can shoot imagery in real work. Laying paths for a web of inter-con‐ wise around the Sun. Proof! We all know time… and also real time with nectedness. Creating possibilities for fu‐ that clockwise is the right way to go, FaceTime and Messaging and the ture encounters, living jewelleryness, hav‐ therefore, the South Pole is the true top sharing of information is so ing fun. Schmuck, the exhibition, brings of the world. quick but it doesn’t replace the everyone together. actual object in the flesh, and I think Einstein might have had a relative the people in the flesh. Meanwhile, established critics are saying theory of space time warping. that Schmuck is dead. If you stay in one ‘Tere is an art, or rather, a knack of fy‐ paddock too long you will run out of ing. Te knack lies in learning how to grass. 4 Overview #16, March 2014
works in bone and stone from a range of acquired by the Friends of the Museum carvers and makers including Owen of New Zealand Te Papa, with the re‐ Mapp, Donn Salt, Hepi Maxwell, Doug m a i n i n g w o r k s a c q u i r e d s o o n Bone Stone Shell Marsden, and John Edgar. Like tradi‐ aferwards. It is now regarded as Te tional Māori and Pacifc adornment, the Papa’s foundation collection for contem‐ original shape of the material frequently porary jewellery. infuenced the fnal form. Members of Fingers, the infuential Auckland jew‐ Te New jewellery 25 Years On ellery collective, were also reconsidering natural New Zealand materials. In Paua Considered today, the ‘new jewellery’ of Dreams (1981), for instance, they at‐ Bone Stone Shell remains fresh and con‐ Justine Olsen, Curator Decorative Art tempted to rescue pāua from its souvenir temporary. Common themes arise status. In the words of jeweller Warwick among the works, many of which are and Design at Te Papa Tongarewa, Freeman, the show was a step towards large in scale. Alan Preston, Paul Mason, giving ‘people permission to like [pāua] and Roy Mason all share an interest in Wellington, NZ … even to love it’. (1) Pacifc traditions. Preston’s fascination for Pacifc materials and forms are re‐ During the development of Te Papa’s ex‐ memorative exhibition that sets out to fected in his large breastplates, made hibition Bone Stone Shell: 25 years on, show the original works against a back‐ from mother-of-pearl and vau (hibiscus- jeweller Alan Preston remarked that his ground of traditional Māori and Pacifc bark fbre). In the exhibition’s catalogue, practice involves ‘working from whatev‐ adornment. Objects from Te Papa’s con‐ he acknowledged the importance of Pa‐ er is under my feet’. His comment encap‐ temporary jewellery collection are also cifc traditions to his own practice: ‘I sulates the shif in thinking which, in the displayed to examine Bone Stone Shell’s give thanks to the people of the Pacifc 1980s, saw contemporary jewellery move more recent local infuences and its in‐ and their ancestors. Teir traditions to‐ away from Europe and towards the tra‐ heritors. gether with mine are a source of ideas ditions of New Zealand and Pacifc and inspiration for my comments about adornment. Te touring exhibition Bone Te History a new Oceania.’ Preston also incorporat‐ Stone Shell: New Jewellery New Zealand ed silver in his work, signalling its con‐ clearly articulated this shif.Organised by By the early 1980s, New Zealand jew‐ Owen Mapp, Koru Amulet, 1983. Pur‐ temporary nature. the Crafs Council of New Zealand and ellers were looking towards traditions chased 2012. Te Papa the Ministry of Foreign Afairs and within Aotearoa New Zealand and the Trade, between 1988 and 1992 it gave Pacifc, and a shif away from the use of In 1985, the Ministry of Foreign Afairs New Zealand jewellery an international European precious materials was becom‐ and Trade decided to focus on jewellery voice. ing evident. Shows at the Dowse Art as part of its cultural diplomacy pro‐ Museum in Lower Hutt and the New gramme to bring New Zealand craf to Bone Stone Shell: 25 years on is a com‐ Zealand Academy of Fine Arts exhibited international audiences:
Not nearly enough has been shown to give an indication of the truly original jew‐ ellery – body adornment – that is current‐ ly being created by the talented and origi‐ nal crafsmen and women of New Zealand. (2)
Te show’s working title was Body Adornment: Bone Stone Shell. Te Crafs Council of New Zealand appointed John Edgar as curator, and chose three selec‐ tors: jeweller Kobi Bosshard, James Mack (director of the Dowse Art Muse‐ um), and Edith Ryan (crafs advisor for the QEII Arts Council). Te Crafs Council worked with the Details group Alan Preston Breastplate. 1987. Gif of of jewellers, a body of metal smiths and the Friends of the Museum of New bone and stone carvers, to ensure as Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 1993. Te wide a representation as possible. By Papa June 1987, 36 makers had responded to the invitation for submissions; the fnal Paul Mason’s large ceremonial bracelets selection took place in November. made from Tākaka marble and Giallo Twelve makers were fnally selected from Siena stone also evoke the Pacifc, their criteria that included the need to ‘com‐ simplicity echoing the forms of bracelets municate the uniqueness of the New from the Solomon Islands and Papua Zealand product’ (3); ‘cohesion and the‐ New Guinea. Politics strike at the heart matic integrity’ also assisted fnal of Roy Mason’s necklace, bracelet, and choices. Bone Stone Shell: New Jewellery brooch trio, all made from the same New Zealand opened in Wellington in gold-lipped oyster shell, sourced from February 1988. It went on to tour Aus‐ the Solomon Islands. Te brooch depicts tralia and Asia, fnishing in Japan in a missile falling towards an idyllic island 1992 at a Tokyo craf expo. with the sky already flled with nuclear fallout. In his artist’s statement, Mason Te collection was originally intended to referred to the shell as ‘a home for inno‐ be ofered to a public institution (4). In cent life’ – a protest against nuclear test‐ 1993, the majority of the collection was ing at Moruroa Atoll. Overview #16, March 2014 5
Reimagining a former world was the tion of pounamu, Aotearoa New ‘Carve and ye shall fnd’ was his dictate Contemporary jewellery in New Zealand premise of both Paul Annear and Dave Zealand’s most valued material, and only in A diferent red, a diferent black continues to evolve as jewellers consider Hegglun. Annear’s adze works, shaped one item, Compass, is made from that (1999–2013) – a series of pendants and their place in the world. New Zealand’s from pounamu (New Zealand green‐ prized resource. Other works – ‘Cracking pins based on archetypal forms. connection to Europe, especially Ger‐ stone), and Hegglun’s handheld, delicate‐ up’, coins of the realm, Stone stone, stone many is rapidly expanding with opportu‐ ly carved bone boxes record mythical or bone, Stone stone shell, and a series of Contemporary Pacifc material ofers nities to contribute and engage in con‐ imagined worlds. Te intimacy of Heg‐ three amulets – are made from less val‐ comparisons between the work of Pāke‐ versations on an international level. glun’s work has a parallel in Eléna Gee’s ued materials: argillite, greywacke, mar‐ boxed jewellery. By enclosing beach ma‐ ble, and jasper. Bone Stone Shell: 25 years on is on show terials in the ‘fotsam and jetsam’ of in‐ in the Collection Focus gallery of Ngā dustrial parts, Gee connected childhood Jenny Pattrick formed her lyrical Flight Toi | Arts Te Papa, Te Papa’s changing memories to the gathering of pāua, bone, of the birdsring series and two necklets programme of art, until 17 March. It will and pebbles. Tese materials, simply from pāua, the naturally shaped shell r e o p e n e a r l y M ay t o 2 0 Ju l y. forms connected and bound by silver arts.tepapa.govt.nz and gold wire and sheet. Inia Taylor and Hamish Campbell both worked from bone to create fgurative pendants. Tay‐ lor, the only Māori jeweller represented Footnotes in Bone Stone Shell, has clearly been in‐ fuenced by traditional forms such as 1. Warwick Freeman. Artist’s interview. matau (hooks). However, his pendants Te Papa, 2012. reference the fsh rather than the hook itself. 2. Attachment to Agenda item G6. Crafs Council Executive Meeting April 1985. Dave Hegglun Land alive. 1987. Gif of Bone Stone Shell: 25 years on also fea‐ Lisa Walker What Karl didn’t take with the Friends of the Museum of New tures portraits of the 12 makers by pho‐ him. Purchased 2010. Te Papa 3. Letter to applicants from Crafs Coun‐ Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 1993. Te tographer John Daley. Originally com‐ cil of New Zealand. John Edgar archive Papa missioned in 1987 for the exhibition’s catalogue, the photographs capture the 4. Attachment to Agenda item G6 Crafs threaded and drilled, suggest interven‐ jewellers and carvers amidst local sur‐ Council Executive Meeting April 1985 tion in its most limited form. Such tech‐ roundings, with texture and material of‐ niques, and the focus on memory and fering an immediate reference to their the found, anticipate work by the next work. Michael Couper, for example, generation of jewellers, including Lisa stands in front of a rocky clif face at Acknowledgements Walker. Muriwai beach, his bare feet in the sand. Te Papa gratefully acknowledges the Warwick Freeman and Michael Couper Afer 1988 Friends of the Museum of New Zealand both explored contemporary connec‐ Te Papa Tongarewa, who generously gif‐ tions in their work for Bone Stone Shell. Bone Stone Shell continues to shape the ed Bone Stone Shell to the national col‐ Freeman’s experiments in ‘squaring up contemporary jewellery landscape. A se‐ lection in 1993. We also thank John the circle’ draw on a workshop task set lection of work by jewellers afer 1988 Edgar for his gif of archival material. by visiting German jeweller Hermann considers the ongoing relevance of Jünger in 1983. His three circular neck‐ themes such as the politics of cultural laces are made of chicken bone (‘Tegel’, exchange. Freeman’s Tiki face (1992) and Warwick Freeman, A diferent red, a he cheekily described it), pāua, and Koru whistle (1993) take note of a shared diferent black, 1999-2013. Purchased argillite shards, the latter material recall‐ cultural heritage and comment on the 2013. Te Papa ing Māori stone-working techniques. cultural appropriation debate, while Ja‐ Couper’s two angular necklaces (a third son Hall’s Gate series of brooches (2004) hā and Pacifc artists. Traditional and is currently on tour in China) are made reassemble colonial wrought-iron gates contemporary materials continue to re‐ of argillite, granite, and pounamu, ex‐ to suggest kōwhaiwhai (painted rafer fect a sense of Pacifc adornment, espe‐ ploring contemporary forms with tradi‐ patterns). Areta Wilkinson’s 96.04.25 cially through the work of Sofa Tekela- tional materials. (2001) pendants comment on the muse‐ Smith and Sia Kata Women’s weaving ological dangers of removing cultural group. John Edgar’s love of materials is evident property from its original context. in his fnely worked handheld objects. Opening weekend Edgar is concerned about the conserva‐ Te development of found materials is also explored through Jacqui Chan’s Host On 19 and 20 October 2013, the exhibi‐ a brooch series (2011), constructed from tion’s opening weekend drew six of the the debris of the Christchurch earth‐ original Bone Stone Shell jewellers: John quake. Lisa Walker’s necklace What Karl Edgar, Alan Preston, Dave Hegglun, Jen‐ didn’t take with him (2010) exemplifes ny Pattrick, Inia Taylor, and Hamish ‘found’ with used and discarded objects Campbell. Discussions centred on the lef behind as Walker and her husband, commissioned works, as well as Daley’s jeweller Karl Fritsch, prepared to move photographs. Edgar led conversations to New Zealand. Among the Bone Stone with selectors Edith Ryan and Kobi Shell generation, Preston has continued Bosshard about the background to the his exploration of the found – his most selection. Taylor spoke with curator notable work being White foreshore Megan Tamati-Quennell about his work (2003– 04), a horizon line of shell and life afer the exhibition.‘A fsh out of brooches collected from Muriwai beach, water’ was the autobiographical title that John Edgar, Compass, 1987. Purchased close to his home and workshop. Free‐ also referred to his magical necklets 1993 with Charles Disney Art Trust man, meanwhile, has taken a more ar‐ carved in bone in Bone Stone Shell: New funds. Te Papa, chaeological approach to the found. Jewellery New Zealand. 6 Overview #16, March 2014
of my main concerns is that contempo‐ But I also think that we need a more crit‐ rary jewellery has become a fait-a-com‐ ical attitude towards everything that is plit, a matter of fact, a this-must-be-it- accepted and has become a standard. It’s T ‐ e golden experience, and nobody is asking ques time for a change. tions anymore. Well, Nanna Melland did ask questions last year. Her Swarm, con‐ Last year Te Exhibition / Die Ausstel‐ sisting of hundreds of small airplanes in lung was programmed as the mother-of- diferent sizes, was the frst piece ever, in all-exhibitions, the event you shouldn’t standard of the decades long history of Schmuck at miss. Although there is probably some the Internationale Handwerksmesse, that irony in the title, we should take care. was shown outside the showcase. People Te Exhibition is Professor Otto Künzli’s could actually buy a part of the installa‐ overview of 45-odd years of working in tion during the show – but isn’t it crazy the feld of contemporary jewellery, Schmuckashau that a work like hers, how much I love it, compressed in about 80 showcases. is observed as something outrageous within the context of Schmuckashau? As Otto Künzli is a main fgure in the con‐ Liesbeth den Besten is looking forward a matter of fact it tells more about the temporary art world; as a smart as well supposed golden standard of Schmuck‐ as sensitive conceptual artist, and as a to the kiwi invasion of Munich and ashau than about where contemporary teacher, his contribution to the feld is jewellery has arrived today. invaluable. Künzli has been one of my summarizes the 'golden Schmuck jewellery heroes from the moment I be‐ T During the Schmuck event jewellers can came interested in jewellery – this was in standard'. e essay is based on her test their ability to temporarily present the 1980s - and I have seen many exhibi‐ jewellery in the city. With very few mate‐ tions of his work, in galleries and muse‐ Zimmerhof lecture 2013. rials - and sometimes very little costs - ums, since then. Te reason for my en‐ places that are not really made for it are thusiasm about his work is his way of ‘Schmuckashau’ – this is the word I en‐ sumed centre and the assumed temporarily occupied by jewellery: jew‐ looking at jewellery, exploring its limits countered recently in a text by an Aus‐ periphery, between those who are initiat‐ ellery out of the showcase, such as an an‐ and unveiling its ethics, making unwear‐ tralian critic, reviewing Robert Baines’ ed and those who are still longing for a tiquarian bookshop, bowling alley, able jewellery and invisible jewellery publication Fabulous Follies, Frauds and rite the passage to Munich, the so called church (the Swedish), Orangerie, restau‐ such as the gold bullet for the armpit as Fakes (2013). In the review the notion centre of the world of contemporary jew‐ rant and foundry. Some exhibition well as jewellery everyone wants to have Schmuckashau stands for the highest in ellery. sceneries are so well done and so beauti‐ and wear. Trough his work he was able contemporary jewellery, according to the ful, that they are better than the work to stretch my ideas – and not only mine reviewer: ‘the revered Schmuckashau has Schmuckashau also points at a problem‐ shown or better than the exhibition’s of course - about jewellery and the body, for fve decades arbitrated taste in art atic tendency, especially when it is used concept. In Munich you can encounter for instance through his jewellery that jewelry’. Te reviewer continues to tell as some kind of criterion for quality – as beautiful titles and beautiful sceneries - literally connected two people. His work that Australian Robert Baines is a cele‐ is the case in the Australian article. If yet the reasons for bringing the work of is rich, complicated sometimes, by times brated Schmuckashau - attendee for used in that sense it stands for the confu‐ diferent artists together in one exhibi‐ humorous, and ofen I was completely many years, who even was awarded the sion of ideas that has led us to think that tion is ofen completely unclear. Is it be‐ washed over by it. prestigious Herbert Hofman Prize. there is a kind of standard, a style, some cause they are good friends, because it is sort of idea about how contemporary fun to see each other and work together Te Exhibition however appeared to be Schmuckashau, the word the reviewer jewellery is supposed to look like. I can for a couple days, because they know this rather disappointing to me. I will try to uses refers to the old name of the jew‐ summarize this standard easily: in the space and want to be present in Munich? explain why, because it has to do with ellery event in Munich, which was once frst place it is abstract (or semi- Ofen you can wonder: was there any my ideas about this so-called ‘standard’ addressed to as Schmuck Schau, which abstract); in the second place it is com‐ reason to make this exhibition? Munich, in contemporary jewellery. Te exhibi‐ literally means: jewellery exhibition. To‐ posed or assembled; and in the third during Schmuck, ofers too many exam‐ tion set-up was a typical Otto Künzli de‐ day it is simply called Schmuck. But in place it is wrapped, glued or bound to‐ ples of bad curating, where good pieces sign, with a mass of showcases seemingly English the word schmuck, which is gether. Although the general feeling of a of jewellery become props in a wonder‐ scattered through the room at random. spelled the same way but without a capi‐ piece may be quite poor, there is a focus ful setting. And than even the best piece People who visited the exhibition Des tal S, has a rather questionable connota‐ on the isolated aesthetic object. of jewellery looses its control. Wahnsinns fette Beute (2008), about the tion; it is slang, used for penis, and for Klasse Künzli, know what I mean. Also an obnoxious or contemptible person – a Every year we can watch the numbers of Jewellery as props, objecthood without the numbering of the showcases fol‐ difcult word to use in English and very this jewellery growing, there is more jewelleryness, isolation and exclusion – lowed no rational path, and we could remote from jewellery. Schmuckashau is Schmuckashau now than there has ever these are the tendencies in contemporary watch again visitors nervously looking a wonderful invention – it is contempo‐ been before, it comes from every corner jewellery I see today. Although it is really through the exhibition’s handout, turn‐ rary jewellery language in its purest of the world, for the most part it is com‐ nice in the bubble – I also like to be ing it over again and again to fnd the form, a mixture of German and Aussie- pletely exchangeable which means that there every now and than – I wonder number they were looking for – we have English, a phonetical monster that gains the work doesn’t give you any clue as to how long it will last. Aren’t bubbles sup‐ seen these scenes before (in Des magical power because of a combination where it originates from. For the in- posed to burst at a certain point? For Wahnsinns fette Beute, and in the new of incomprehensibility and the values it crowd it is instantly recognisable as con‐ how long have we been busy to explain set-up of the Danner Rotunde in the stands for. It summarizes the many miles temporary jewellery. what contemporary jewellery, or art jew‐ Neue Sammlung). Tis is Otto Kunzli’s of distance and misunderstanding be‐ ellery, or jewellery art, or author jew‐ vernacular, his very own exhibition id‐ tween the continents, between the pre‐ A language has developed, a vocabulary ellery is about, for how long do we have iom that follows its own rules, logic and based on recycling, copying and assem‐ to go on? For this reason it is wonderful humour. bling. Today we all speak jewellery – a of course to be in the bubble, to speak language that is established and con‐ jewellery to your companions, and to Te scary New American Flag on one frmed at the yearly jewellery-Mecca in make presentations for the afcionados. wall was good to see in reality fnally – it March, the big social jewellery commu‐ And of course you can see beautiful new is an impressive piece of cloth, merging nity gathering, the network magnet, the work in Munich but still my plea is to three popular American symbols into exhibition machine. open up, to loosen up, to dare and step one very powerful and aggressive image out of the comfort zone. Jewellery is a that determines the atmosphere in the But I am a little bit worried by this wonderful feld where great seeds are room to a certain extent. For the average idiom, by people speaking jewellery. One sown and rich harvests can be gathered. non-initiated visitor, this fag may be Overview #16, March 2014 7 very confusing and controversial – what Mouse heads, the importance of being wedding rings’ in a local newspaper, re‐ fnd is this: the exhibition wanted to does it have to do with the exhibition, there.” Hmmm…. the importance of be‐ peated 10 times in 1985, and then came stress the perfection of Otto Künzli’s which is for the rest only about beautiful ing there, maybe this sums up the mean‐ the reactions. Künzli not only collected work, or as the introduction text to the aesthetical objects in showcases. Where ing of Te Exhibition the best way. all those used wedding rings but also the exhibition reads: “Objects with a clear, is the connection with the fag, why was stories of the owners. By leaving them minimalist appearance, captivatingly that fag hanging there, where is the sto‐ Because the Otto Künzli exhibition intact, and only cutting them through in crafed to perfection, and highly visible – ry? missed any further documentation or in‐ order to be able to connect them – Kün‐ jewelry that adorns and at the same time formation, the objects were pulled back zli connected the personal – mostly sad - possesses an autonomous aesthetic status Te objects in the showcases must ap‐ in their objecthood.It was as if looking at histories of many individuals. Terefore of its own.” Te presumption is thus: we pear as puzzling as UFO’s to those visi‐ the images in a book or on the Internet. it is a contemplative object. But in the don’t need to add more information be‐ tors who are not acquainted with the Tey had lost all life, they became mere exhibition this chain, stripped of its sto‐ cause this perfect work speaks for itself – work of Otto Künzli, not to mention objects: cuttingly sharp, shiny red, highly ries and background, was reduced to not only as jewellery but even more as with contemporary jewellery in general. polished, symbol like, but completely fat merely an object. Only the very well in‐ autonomous art objects. Maybe this is Te lack of documentation and informa‐ and even distracted from people, or the formed viewer knows how to appreciate true, maybe the work does speak for it‐ tion made this exhibition a true insider- body. His famous chain, composed of 48 this object. self indeed, maybe it speaks an art lan‐ event. What does the uninitiated visitor re-used wedding rings, missed this con‐ guage, maybe it speaks jewellery but the make of a box flled with a tiny brooch textual information deeply; if you know Otto Künzli is also famous for his photo‐ language of jewellery is highly self-refer‐ with two pins (Brooch for two People, the story of the necklace and the stories graphic series, as a means of artistic re‐ ential and outside the small circle of 1980/82) or of the golden bullet in a box of the individual rings the piece becomes search, but there was no evidence of this, speakers nobody understands. Te aver‐ (Bullet for the Armpit, 1982) - without alive. As a matter of fact Künzli made a apart from a small series of photos from age non-informed museum visitor must ever having seen the photographs that in small archive box with cards containing the Gallery of Beauty series.And so the have felt lost between the many showcas‐ fact were part of the work when he con‐ the stories of the donators of the rings. exhibition was a collection of objects es. ceived it? (catalogue Körperkultur, Vien‐ Why was it not exhibited? that were ripped of their context and na 1982). Insiders could rejoice to see in emotional content, bypassing the stories, Te Exhibition showed me how object‐ reality all those pieces they only knew What went wrong here is that all atten‐ the processes and the artistic photo‐ hood excludes jewelleryness. through images, and for some people tion of the curators of the exhibition was graphic research – while this is exactly this was like some sort of spiritual en‐ focused on the objects. But Otto Künzli’s what makes Otto Künzli’s artistic career Objecthood excluding jewelleryness - counter. Tis is what the New Zealan‐ work is not a sum of objects at all. It is so singular and so important. this is what happens everywhere in ders wrote about it in their Overview rather a continuation of projects, pro‐ Schmuckashau. Schmuckashau is a magazine: “All those Ottos we know and cesses, stories and concepts. Te Wed‐ I cannot help to think that this focus on monoculture of beautiful (although not love in one room; the Red Dot, One Me‐ ding Ring Chain was the outcome of a the aesthetical object is a very deliberate always), wearable (well, mostly) objects tre of Love, Oh Say, the postcards, the project and a process Künzli went choice. But I have been racking my that are completely frigidly exhibited in Ring for Two Persons, Gold Makes through: frst there was the idea, then brains about why the exhibition was cu‐ well-designed displays. It forgets about Blind, the Mirror Glasses, the Mickey there was an advertisement ‘I collect rated like this. Te only reason I could its users, the wearers, the humans that 8 Overview #16, March 2014 like to wear jewellery – sometimes it Read – into their home for a 3-day resi‐ looks as if these objects not even want to dency. be worn. Jewellery has developed into a correct language, highbrow, not for By the way, New Zealanders, kiwi’s, are dyslectics, stutterers, and persons with a wonderful people, they have a great diferent language and background, not sense of humour, a lovely life style, and for the foreigners, and especially not for they are struggling with their isolated wearers. I would like to make a plea for position somewhere halfway between less coherence, for more distortion, for Australia and Antarctica. I’ve been there more confusion and more discussion, for twice by invitation and I was amazed by less fnished objects exhibited in won‐ the eagerness of New Zealand jewellery derful places and for more open ended people to know more and to become works, for less gallery-imitating presen‐ part of this global jewellery scene. Be‐ tations and more happenings and events cause they lack direct connections with in the streets, subway stations, the fair, the supposed jewellery centres in the and shopping malls, and for more eforts world, they developed their own infras‐ to have jewellery on the right spot: on tructure and a kind of out of the box human beings. thinking.
At Schmuckashau we have created our A good example is Te See Here, a win‐ own bubble where everyone knows each dow gallery in Wellington, where excit‐ other and everyone likes each other but ing events and presentations take place – New Zealand all the same. And now face, and the view that is missed so much nobody else knows us. Te city of Mu‐ the invited artists can do anything they they present their frst printed issue in at Schmuckashau. nich is completely blank about what’s go‐ want in this shop window. In 2012 Sarah Munich during Schmuck. ing on - other people have no idea that Read decided to do an artist-in-residen‐ Tis year New Zealand is represented in thousands of people from all around the cy at Te See Here under the title ‘Look, It is interesting to see that refreshing Munich with Wunderrūma, an exhibi‐ world get together in their own Munich no hands: a creative retreat’. She wanted ideas, ideas that make us think diferent‐ tion curated by Warwick Freeman and comfort zone each year again in March to work there simply as an artist but ly about issues such as value, studio, and Karl Fritsch in Galerie Handwerk. I’m to celebrate jewellery. without knowing where it goes. First she uniqueness, now seem to come from far looking forward and I’m a bit worried: had to deal with the fact that she had to away, from the periphery and that the could they avoid Schmuckashau’s traps? In a recent New Zealand Overview mag‐ work under the public gaze. Ten she centre is stuck in the formal standards of But I trust both curators: the grand-old azine there was a critical comment on had to occupy the window space, and f‐ Schmuckashau. Tis is my reason for re‐ man and the smart-ass. Let’s see how last year’s Schmuck by Peter Deckers, nally she spent her time (one month) ferring to them: the New Zealand view they tackle Schmuckashau. from Dutch decent, living in New reading, thinking, working at her work‐ on contemporary jewellery provides us Zealand for more than 30 years, teaching bench, interacting with passers-by and with a peripheral view, the view from I would like to fnish this essay with a jewellery, curating exhibitions, and or‐ receiving visitors. outside, the mirror that is held up to our manifest for contemporary jewellery: ganising other events. Well, this Peter Deckers writes about the shows in the Another project of Sarah Read involves - forget about sceneries and props city: “Te ones we saw did not overly ex‐ co-creation with other people: in re‐ cite. Te shows were safe repeats from sponse to the February 2011 earthquake European makers or showed work with in Christchurch, she sewed simple and - forget about objecthood, focus on jewelleryness predictable and obvious infuences of colourful ribbons with the text ‘Tis too typical school styles. Is the Eurozone re‐ shall pass’. Tey were made in collabora‐ cession also creeping into the artist’s cre‐ tion with other people and sold for 10 - forget the afcionados, target on the uninitiated ativity?’ Tis is a serious critique from a NZ$, as a support to Te National, one person who travelled more than 30 of New Zealand vanguard jewellery gal‐ hours by plane, all the way from leries, which happened to be in the red- - focus on the ‘why and how’ of jewellery, on people and jewellery Wellington to Munich, to see what is zone of Christchurch, the area that was happening in the world Olympics of most afected by the earthquake and had contemporary jewellery. As a real Dutch‐ to be cleaned out during a few hours af‐ - focus on questioning instead of answers man he is honest and expresses his de‐ ter the catastrophe. All of Read’s work ception straightforward. has to do with jewellery or adornment but she prefers to collaborate with others - focus on experiment instead of nice results As a matter of fact the Handshake instead of the isolation of her studio. project, a mentoring project with young mentees from New Zealand and tutors During the last big jewellery event in - focus on process and projects from all over the world, brainchild of Pe‐ 2012, called JEMposium (organised by ter Deckers, was one of the very few in‐ Peter Deckers), some artists introduced novative projects that participated in the Jewellers Guild of Greater Sandring‐ - take care of fnding your own vernacular, use slang when necessary Munich. It was innovative because of the ham – a name with a wink – to a bigger collaboration between mentees and audience. Sandringham is a rather unde‐ mentors via Internet, Skype and blogs, veloped multi-ethnic suburb of Auck‐ - focus on inclusion of other media and strategies and also because the fnal show involved land, not very well connected to the city some work that was made on the spot or centre by a rather poor public trans‐ was open ended: Jhana Millers, interest‐ portation system. So the name Guild of - focus on sharing and collaborating ed in value systems, continued her Greater Sandringham underlines isola‐ project ‘Tis Brooch cost me my credit tion within isolation. Tis group of en‐ card’, inviting people to donate their thusiastic jewellers, started a Facebook - forget the unique one-ofs for the gallery every now and then, try credit card that she converted into a group and produces a wonderful and multiples brooch on the spot. And Sarah Read in‐ very informing internet magazine every troduced the ‘Home from Home’ open few months. Started as a need to connect call - inviting visitors to step out of their and to keep each other updated in New - forget about Schmuckashau. usual routine and invite an artist – Sarah Zealand it has become my lifeline with Overview #16, March 2014 9 Polynisation Sharon Fitness asks Niki Hastings- McFall (the person who taught her how to fle a brooch pin) about her journey.
You graduated from Manukau Institute of jewellery! Ofen that involved bunging of Technology in 1994 not long afer the a brooch ftting in or, if I was lucky, Bone Stone Shell movement washed over drilling a hole and making a pendant. Campbelltown tree installation from Towards the Morning Sun, Sydney 2013 New Zealand Jewellery. What kind of ef‐ Until I started looking at Pacifc body fect did this show have on your material adornment forms, the concept always exploration? overrode the jewellery considerations. Once I found the area of jewellery that Massively, hugely and all-consumingly. I really intrigued and fascinated me the think its fair to say we were all infu‐ conceptual aspects and the jewellery for‐ enced at that time, in some way or an‐ mat began to gel in a much more syn‐ other by the Bone Stone Shell era. Simul‐ chronised way. taneously accompanying this movement there was a frenzied and intense explo‐ Being fuent in both contemporary jew‐ ration of ‘alternative’ materials - a crazy ellery and sculpture, do you now fnd it juxtaposition of 20th century, space-age, easier to communicate on a larger scale? industrial ‘non-precious’ and/ or non- Do you still make jewellery sized work? traditional jewellery materials such as plastics, acrylics, brass, titanium, niobi‐ I dont know that communication is easy um, wood, fabric, rubber, paper, in any genre. I make jewellery sized ceramic.... You name it... anything went. work that isn’t jewellery and large scale I loved that. Te freedom and the totally works that arguably are jewellery in that anarchic ability to explore, utilise, canni‐ they have evolved directly from a jew‐ balise and reincarnate whatever you ellery context, are predominantly in‐ could. It was a very cool time to be in‐ formed by jewellery and frequently in‐ volved in the jewellery revolution! volve the use of jewellery tools and tech‐ From Te Maui Dynasty, Te Suter Gallery, Nelson 2008-2009 niques You established an incredibly successful Galerie Handwerk building with syn‐ the end a few of us (including some contemporary jewellery practice before Much of your work explores colonialism, thetic fower lei synonymous with sunny smartarses from Workshop 6 ... Jane bursting out into the high art world with cultural crossovers and mixed messages. South Pacifc island life. How do you Doddly Woddly, Areta Wilkinson I be‐ larger installations. How difcult was Was encountering your Samoan heritage think this will translate in a mid-winter lieve)... decided to call it CRART. And a that jump? later in life a huge culture shock? Munich, potentially covered in snow? rose is a rose anyway. It’s not a hindrance although for a while I really wanted to It wasn’t difcult at all... not really a Yes but in a very positive way. It gave me Not at all sure it will translate per se, but believe that jewellery was art and there‐ jump so much as more of an inevitable huge freedom to weave in and out of it will sure as shit look mental. fore I was an artist. Now I am happy in slither. I always made work that came liminal spaces. I always say now that my the realisation that I don’t know and I from a concept and then had to fgure work is about Not being Samoan. In the Now that you are almost an outsider don’t care. I still make jewellery and I out how to ft it into a jewellery context. sense that that is a very typical displaced (given that you are a fantastic installa‐ make other stuf that isn’t jewellery, and I never really thought of myself as a real space to inhabit for many Pacifc Island tion artist now), looking back to jew‐ I’m not really bothered about quantify‐ jeweller in the sense that it was always descendants of this era... hence it is ellery, how do you see the NZ contempo‐ ing it one way or another. Is it good crart arse backwards. First the idea, then the about Samoan-ness without laying some rary jewellery scene, and do you fnd it or bad crart is the only question I care work, then... oops- it needs to be a piece kind of Colonist appropriative claim to weird that we keep claiming you as our about. And I love being Bi-crafy.... great actually being Samoan. Which I am so own? Is this ever a hindrance to you or terminology! not... even my aiga calls me the skinny do you embrace your bi-crafyness? white palagi! thanks Niki! I love to be claimed by the jewellery For Wunderrūma, you are adorning the world. Oh that old art / craf debate.... in 10 Overview #16, March 2014
very interesting, all that frst contact. environment that they do at Te Papa. What are we looking at actually, what are Te Te Papa curators and conservation the rules about it. I got really excited experts have quite specifc ideas about Ich weiß es nicht about it. Te access was great. At Te Papa how their objects are allowed to be dis‐ they were wonderful, and to see all that played. So when people like Karl and I stuf and to get the whole discussion go‐ come into the space, we have to comply, ing there. At some stage they were really negotiate. Yeah, we have done a fair bit Curators, Warwick Freeman and partners and they wanted to have a cura‐ of talking, but it is still not over, eh Karl? tor come to Munich and do all of the Karl Fritsch talk about some things welcoming, and the blessing, so I Karl: Ah no, it is never over. thought, that actually would be a great they know part of the show. It’s very important to Warwick: We may not ever be able to show that part of New Zealand culture. have these objects in the same room as a And in Munich I really would really love piece of contemporary jewellery because Sharon, Raewyn and Kristin make a pil‐ Papa’s contribution was much older to show that – especially at such an event it is made out of shit. We’ve got work grimage over the water to Warwickshire Pakeha and Maori and some Polynesian like Schmuck. Just the diferent way of made of rabbit shit, fies, we’ve got where they talk to Warwick and Karl work and that isn’t going to Munich dealing with jewellery, what you are cigarette butts, all sorts of stuf, that about the road to Munich. (that’s a long story about incompatible looking at – all that genealogy… you functions in the domain of Noa. If the fre regulations). Te Maori works we know, the Maori way. Something difer‐ Maori taonga is considered to operate in Raewyn: What is in the show? Fran said had chosen from Te Papa were all pieces ent to ofer in that Schmuck context – another domain, they may not even be something like it was a quirky look at that are worn through the ear, with the but yeah that didn’t happen and that was able to sit in the same room, let alone the what’s been made and what’s being exception of one Tiki and one pendant. a big shock. Tat took a while to get over same cabinet. made... Tey are not in Munich. We have actually. patched it a little bit from the local Karl: We approach the Maori work in Warwick: ‘Quirky’ I looked that up - ethnographic museum, (Te Staatliches Warwick: Part of looking at the older the same way we approached anything maybe translates into German as ‘schrul‐ Museum für Völkerkunde) and we have work was about us expanding the con‐ else, we were just looking for something lig’ but my dictionary also said ‘cranky borrowed half a dozen Maori kuru from cept of what contemporary meant - we that looked contemporary that we liked. or wacky’ – we‘ll take all those. As to be‐ a private collector, but it is not going to were working with the understanding It was very interesting, the information ing a look at ‘what’s been made and be much of a presence – nothing like we that everything in New Zealand is con‐ that we got back there. You know, we what’s being made’ there is quite a time intended to be there.. temporary, relative to European cultures. would choose something for a certain range that is covered. Tere are contem‐ Te time frame that you are looking at in look that suited our project, but then you porary pieces out of the Dowse collec‐ Karl: Tat was quite a big thing at one terms of manufacture of adornment is would fnd out the curators position on tion, and a couple of contemporary stage because with all the Maori earrings not very long. So we threw that idea of what was a good tiki, what a good tiki pieces from Te Papa – this work covers and all this discussion – is it jewellery or contemporary – not out – but put it in a should look like. It was interesting to about three decades. But mostly Te not – is taonga not jewellery. Tat was diferent frame, and called the Maori fnd out their aesthetics about a tiki or work contemporary as well. Back then even if a tiki is a male or a female. And we subtitled the exhibition ‘1000 Years of diferent curators look at them diferent‐ N e w Z e a l a n d C o n t e m p o r a r y ly, so there was a lot of information that Jewellery’ (by the way it’s now subtitled came across, but just to say that our ap‐ ‘Schmuck aus Neuzeeland’). proach - like this is historic work or you might think it is looked at diferently, but And that thinking about time came from our approach was in looking. We applied conversations we were having with the our eyes the same as we applied to any curators at Te Papa, where it wasn’t other work. Tere was no diference just about the past – sure the objects were because it’s historic we didn’t look for old but they were always dealing with something diferent, or with diferent them as being ‘now’ and so those con‐ rules. But you have to obey diferent cepts of Maori time, not being lineal in rules. You don’t get around them. the past to present manner, came up as a way of looking at objects. So we sort of Warwick: I think the ways that work has took that idea on for everything in the to be brought into the show will have to show, regardless of when it was made, it be negotiated. For instance, the idea of was ‘contemporary’. If you look at the pe‐ mixing it through the contemporary riod we usually call contemporary, there work, that’s not something we can as‐ are pieces from the 80’s and 90’s which sume. came out of Te Dowse collection, but we haven’t made any attempt to place Taonga as it stands now tends to be stuf any of them on a continuum. Te whole made by the old people. In other words, structure of how the exhibition was con‐ it can be around European contact, it can ceived, and how the catalogue is present‐ be afer contact, or a long way into the ed has got none of that chronology. We 20th century but there is a sense that it hoped that that feel would carry right has achieved the status of taonga. In oth‐ through to how it was displayed but we er words, although we might view it for still have to address issues around how its ubiquity (it is just a pair of earrings), the Maori taonga will co-exist with the they have been removed from that con‐ contemporary work when the show text into this other one that is called meets up with the Te Papa work when its taonga. And that kind of holds it. To back at Te Dowse in July. know whether they were always intend‐ ed to be treasures, or whether they have Te idea of the taonga sitting alongside become treasures as a consequence of some of the materials that contemporary colonialism where they are moved from jewellers use still has to be talked about. one state to a museum state, and all We don’t work in the same exhibition those things it’s very complicated, but Overview #16, March 2014 11 very interesting. As Karl said, one of the ence. What we’ve put together now, this of work from ten people that are really • those that are trained, biggest disappointments was that none is documenting our start, our approach. kicking, and put them in the Ruma and of that idea was going to Munich. Al‐ Where we started and how we ended up. people will say ‘Wow is everybody in • suckling pigs, though I don’t know that we would ever Well, that is the picture of it. New Zealand this good?” No – instead have been able to take the complexity of they will see 70 or 80 artists. Some of • mermaids, that idea, to Munich, and to even explain Warwick: Yeah, and in some ways there them are students, some of them have it would have been very difcult. But at was a point when putting the catalogue been making for 40 years, and they are • fabulous ones, the same time, to us that complexity, the together where we re-photographed all all sitting on the same level. Sometimes existence of that complexity in our exhi‐ the work, and we thought, you know the with only one piece, so if they ever made • stray dogs, bition, was very interesting. best way of describing this would be if anything better this is not the opportuni‐ we had documented it at the time, so ty to get any sense of that. • those included in the present classifca‐ Sharon: I got the feeling when you came that even the catalogue represented the tion, around and visited us that you were process. As it is now, the catalogue is Karl: It is a bit hard to get back to that picking works that might suit some of broken into two pieces – one is the com‐ feeling, you have when you do your own • those that tremble as if they were mad, the older pieces that you had seen. Did mentary that I did about the process show. Tere I don’t care, I do it because I your selection change once you realised Karl and I used to create the exhibition like doing it, but with this exhibition, all • innumerable ones, that couldn’t have certain taonga? and the other is a succession of the usual that attention happening, all that money catalogue type photos, that show all the that CNZ have put into it, all the people • those drawn with a very fne camelhair Warwick: No, we had made our selec‐ work. It would have been nice – kind of involved, you start getting a bit nervous. brush, tion before Te Papa said no to it travel‐ more faithful to the process if the images You cant say, ‘I don’t care’. We’re trying ling. I think our selection was running of the work were made where we found bloody hard now. But it’s not easy to take • others, on totally diferent parameters. We were them. And that could have been in the up so much more responsibility than I operating quite instinctively. gallery or in the museum drawer you usually take for putting a show together. • those that have just broken a fower know, but even that is a distinctive con‐ vase, Quite a lot of the ambivalence that we text. Tere is this photograph, the stage Warwick: No, but I don’t think we are both feel around the show now - before of the process –that we called clumping. afraid of anyone. Te CNZ investment is • those that from a long way of look like we see it installed in Munich - is related Looking at the work together. Looking quite substantial, but at the same time, fies. to having to trust that instinct now. It’s for a resonance, the ability of the work to we never lied to them. We always said like we’ve lost a certain amount of conf‐ make connections with each other. Tat this show is what Karl and Warwick like. Warwick: Yes, we reworked that list for dence because we stopped collecting a was another important part of what we jewellery. Tey became the clumps, as we while ago now and we have lost our feel did. Kristin: Yeah but that’s just being truth‐ call them. We started of with completely for it. I just know we were really sure at ful. If you are the curators and you said it made up categories before we had any the time so I think our instinct is still Karl: Tat’s the thing, when you put was going to be a survey show, then it is idea of what we were going out to look right - eh? those cut-out images on the foor and what you choose. I think it’s exciting be‐ at, and they were quite random. Made it you come across those things, and cause it’s a diferent way of doing it. And look like we had a plan but the real plan Karl: Well, there is nothing else, so if it’s they’re just really nice and you like them. it is a bit challenging and a bit risky, but was just to be set loose without any par‐ not right, that will be it. Tere is those moments where you think that’s what makes it so exciting for ev‐ ticular criteria. And so, as to ‘are we still ‘oh it’s a lovely show, but, it’s not the real erybody. using it’? I think we have essentially, to Warwick: We didn’t choose anything thing’. We still don’t have an idea of how the spirit of it anyway. Although one of else. I think when you construct a show, it will look, we haven’t seen it. It’s excit‐ Warwick: But at the same time, some of the biggest categories we ended up with you can fabricate whatever image or idea ing, in Munich it will be the frst time. the territory that we engaged with, was ‘Ich weiß es nicht’. Which is: ‘I don’t you want, and so, you are not restricted When you present it there is so much sometimes you look at it and you say, know’. So there was a point where, if it by your own sensibility. I mean, some you can infuence what the work looks what are the qualities we are wanting to didn’t ft one of the categories we had it people will have to get used to the idea like, how you make it speak. We haven’t show people here? For instance you are got put in Ich weiß es nicht. Which that it is not a national showcase of New done that yet. Tere are diferent ideas looking at a string of beads, and as a turned out to be quite an important cate‐ Zealand contemporary jewellery... around it. Tat photo, that is quite nice, maker, you might understand where a gory. Tey’ll fnd out though. Tere was the but we can’t do that in Munich, but we string of beads fts into the big picture, sense that some of the work we asked for are still excited, you know, about how it but when you are trying to impress, a Karl: But that was good, with Ich weiß es from various makers, came with the re‐ will it look like when it’s on show. string of beads sometimes doesn’t go nicht, there were things that appeared on sponse ‘Are you sure about that? You very far, even a good string of beads. But the way that opened up new opportuni‐ want that piece? I make much better Warwick: Yeah, we could be laughed out I think all the strings of beads we have ties. I feel comfortable in it’s openness. It stuf ‘. of town. got in the show are good strings of allows a lot of things to speak, in difer‐ beads. Tey are worth looking at and I ent ways. But I still hope it’s diferent Karl: It’s funny, that intuitive thing. You Raewyn: So do you think you have got a can stand beside every decision we from another country’s groupings. go and start to look at the things and lot to lose? made. Tere are decisions where Karl choose what you like. It’s hard – it came was more in favour and ones that I was Sharon: So how many people did you go to an end because the show has to go, it Warwick: … In terms of our stature and more in favour. and visit? has to travel. You have to make lists, you authority as makers? Ah.. no because I have to do dah dah dah, but in a way it think at the heart of it we did it from a Karl: I love them all. Warwick: Sorry can’t tell you without almost feels like we started something. A position of – not so much authority – doing a count -we never kept a record. A way of looking. And now looking back at but full engagement. And if it’s wrong Kristin: Are you still using that lovely lot of the work we just saw in galleries. it, when you start travelling, that fact of and if it makes a crap show, then so be it. list of categories? Tere are a few workshops that I regret you go to peoples workshops because I don’t think it’s going to be a crap show, we didn’t go too. But, in some ways, the they were somebody, or easy to access – but I think there is the possibility that *From: Borges - attributed to 'a certain they’re not even online or stuf like that people will look at it and kind of go Chinese Encyclopedia' the Celestial Empo‐ – and you just discover diferent things “Hmmm… that’s nothing special”. But rium of Benevolent Knowledge' that they do, and I fnd that now really then what is the expectation? Tat New amazing. I would like to just go on and Zealand will produce a show, put it into Types of Animals keep going in the car together – go to the Schmuck week cauldron and have people’s workshops and pick pieces. Put everybody go “Oh my god, how come we • those that belong to the Emperor, them together – all those pieces you like didn’t know?” We certainly didn’t even and put them in a show together. Tat think it was possible to fabricate that im‐ • embalmed ones, would be my ideal now, from our experi‐ age. Perhaps you could get strong groups 12 Overview #16, March 2014 touring wasn’t constructed around se‐ Warwick: Yes, but it has also got a life for about that. Tis show isn’t about being as And amongst the visual artists we ap‐ lecting actual pieces for the show, the here. Its life is about its return here too. good as anything in Munich – it‘s about proached who weren’t operating in the touring was about informing us on what what we make in New Zealand. For that jewellery feld there was never an expec‐ was going on out there. Now I think Karl: Well for me in the beginning it was reason it is not trying to prove anything. tation that we include any narrative – there would be a few other places we always important for me that it was a I think it is an honest show. I think it is a there didn’t seem to be that neediness - would quite deliberately go. show for Munich – the people I know good representation of we do here but it not like you fnd it in the jewellery there, to show them what is happening is not trying to prove anything. Hopeful‐ sector. I think the motivation for the in‐ Karl: Tat was quite exciting, I think in here. And I think Warwick always saw it ly people will get a sense of what is hap‐ clusion of work that came from outside the beginning we thought we kind of more in the beginning as a show that‘s pening in this place. It has a variety to it, the feld of contemporary jewellery came knew what was going on out there with important for people in New Zealand. but at the same time I think it has dis‐ because we saw work that had the feel of all the exhibitions, so I thought our tour tinctiveness. jewellery. Quite ofen contemporary jew‐ was justifying it, making sure that we Warwick: Well, they will forget it in ellery takes the feel of the visual arts, so had seen everything, but actually it about 3 weeks in Munich, whereas they Karl: Ich weiß es nicht. when we visited these people about their opened up a lot more than I thought – wont forget it here for years. Tey will be work it was always about work of theirs the touring and the actual visits became grumbling about it for ages. Kristin: So if you had to say what the at‐ that had a jewellery feeling. Courtney much more important than I thought mosphere of that show is, would you say Johnston director of Te Dowse said ear‐ they would. Karl: Ha, they only do it every 25 years. honest? ly on that it looks like ‘Warwick and Karl are taking jewellery for a bit of a walk’: Warwick: Te visiting of the workshops Warwick: I think it has the capacity to Warwick: Well, honest to us. I think that We never let any boundaries afect where became not so much a method of fnding do more work here than it does in Ger‐ is going to be the interesting conversa‐ we walked – who we approached for pieces, but a way of working out what we many. Simply because it presents as an tion on its return, whether it is honest to work. I wanted to include Michael Hill were looking for. opportunity or a catalyst for people to anybody else. Tis is what we think it is, in the show as New Zealand’s most fa‐ talk - about what? Well if you are going what do you think it should be? mous jeweller and Karl’s last call on that Karl: If Warwick and me had just sat and to do a show based on a country’s pro‐ kind of thinking was, why can’t we in‐ talked in front of the Skype it would duction for a gallery in Munich – what Karl: I think when I look at the work, it clude the ‘one ring’ (the ring from Lord have looked diferent from sitting in the would you do? What would that look is what I look at. It is not something else. of the Rings) in the show and we got car for hours and days together with like for you? I think in the past there has It doesn’t try to solve contemporary jew‐ very close but in the frst instance we time to kill. We just got to know each been a tendency to really control that ellery. If it is a hook, it’s a hook. It tries to didn’t want the show to be about taking other better, just thinking and sitting look, and only use the people who are solve it’s own problem, but not anything the piss and on the second we couldn’t there, and talking or not talking about considered to be the best at what they more than that. I think. quite bring ourselves to enter negotia‐ stuf. It just helped to visualise the whole are doing. Tat has to do with the inse‐ tions with New Line Cinema. feel for the thing. curity around New Zealand’s self image. Warwick: Tat’s right. It is what ‘I look We see it constantly recorded in the at’. It is what we saw. Karl: But the story that comes with Billy Raewyn: So is the show in Munich for a comment ‘It is as good as anything in Apple’s rings is pretty good. European audience? Europe, isn’t it’. But it never should be Karl: Actually some jewellery comes at‐ tached with stories but we didn’t guaran‐ Warwick: Yeah, it’s better. It’s personal – tee that we tell the story. We took the it’s about why jewellery gets made. freedom. If we like the piece, we show the piece. And don’t tell the concept of Karl: It wasn’t really only a wedding ring why the piece is like that. It was like our for Mary.. how long did he work on it? rule – we didn’t want to represent maker’s stories. Warwick: 1998 he started working on it.
Warwick: Yeah, we didn’t cut anyone any Karl: And Billy could never get someone slack in that regard. Possibly one small to get the measurements right, and then exception. We allowed Billy Apple’s work her fnger changes in size. Tere were to say it exists because of the Golden piles of paper about the process and it Mean. But for instance the tags by Sarah became an artwork. In Germany there Read, we didn’t say they exist because of are companies who do that perfectly the earthquakes in Christchurch. So why with a machine, it can be done really did we cut Billy that tiny bit of slack and easy. Tis is a great story – an individual not Sarah? I think in a way, it is because trying to solve a jewellery problem. Billy’s piece – ‘Mary’s Ring’ only exists because of Wunderrūma and so that nar‐ Ten suddenly Inia Taylor popped into rative is particular to the process we the picture because of that Bone Stone talked about before of visiting people. Shell show at Te Papa and he did a talk When we frst saw the ring it was just a there. I didn’t know those people existed, page of calculations by Billy for a wed‐ and then suddenly there is this guy rav‐ ding ring for his partner Mary. Karl ar‐ ing on about carving. And I thought ranged for it to be made in Germany, in wow there are so many interesting peo‐ platinum. In the end it didn’t take long ple out there. Here is he working his but through the process of us wanting mind around jewellery, although now he for the show it earned a particular narra‐ makes a helmet. Te helmet fts into our tive. Mary got her wedding ring because show somehow. of Wunderruma. In some ways it is the most austere, minimal piece of jewellery Raewyn: Is there a helmet in the show? that is in the show but it has a rich per‐ sonal narrative but we didn’t tell that sto‐ Warwick: Yes, a motorcycle helmet. ry just the one relating to the page of Golden Mean calculations because that Us: hahah was part of our narrative – us putting the show together. Warwick: Inia has a whole making whakapapa for that helmet. It is made of Overview #16, March 2014 13
certainly sucked up a lot of time that would have normally gone into making. Karl has got about 3 shows on around Schmuck, I only have one.
Karl: Yeah but for Munich I am fne now.
Raewyn: Are you in Wunderruma? Have you curated yourself into the show?
Warwick: Tat was always an issue – whether to curate yourself into your own show – yes just the one piece.
Karl: A collaboration piece.
Warwick: A footnote piece but I think that probably is the right decision.
Raewyn: So someone like Sarah (Read) whose work might want to have the sto‐ ry around it – does she know that this is not happening?
Warwick: Did we tell her? No. But then she didn’t ofer us the story. Whether the artists expected us to write their essays I don’t know. Although the artist’s narra‐ tive can always inform the way you look at things we didn’t take it as the reason clumping proceedure the work got into the show in the end. Maybe that means we aren’t proper cura‐ carbon fbre woven in the same manner Karl: I thought about this the other day, jewellery. Te staf at Te Dowse work‐ tors? Te thing about the narrative is as his auntie’s make kete for collecting and Warwick mentioned it in the cata‐ ing on Wunderruma have been fantastic that when you do know it, you can be kai moana. Also the pattern on it is part logue, what news does our show have to at sorting out that stuf for the show. enriched by it but at the same time there of his story - that adoption, the interpre‐ broadcast? But I never think about is always that moment when you stand tation of kowhaiwhai rafer patterns for shows like that but it’s probably more Karl: Tere will be probably no New outside the narrative and see the work tattoo is part of his development as a tat‐ about the things you don’t see in there. Zealand contemporary jewellery show for what it is not what the artist tooist - he was there when it was frst Tere is not much that looks like Bone traveling overseas for another 25 years. intended. I think we both quite like that done on the set of ‘Once were Warriors’. Stone Shell. Maybe that is the news. Te moment. Te artist’s narrative can make Although none of that story is in the things you don’t see. Kristin: So the taonga is not leaving. it more interesting but, at the same time, show. What you get is a helmet. And What about the taonga from Germany? it can make it less interesting. Sometimes what is also part of the narrative is that Sharon: It will be really good to see the the narrative kills it – I fnd that a lot, he made bone carvings that were in show. Warwick: Tat was fairly easy, there were particularly in craf. Bone Stone Shell - he was the only Maori only a few pieces to choose from and it and the youngest maker in that exhibi‐ Raewyn: It’ll probably be a really big was just a straight forward exchange be‐ Karl: Tere are those pages in the cata‐ tion. But in this show, he has a carbon f‐ turnout at Te Dowse… tween two local institutions. We bor‐ logue with the Maori earrings, the kuru, bre racing helmet. rowed fve kuru from a private owner the kapeu and the mako. Along side Warwick: We have to talk about the but even they can’t leave the country, there is a photo of a Maori man wearing Raewyn: So have you explored that Bone show at Te Dowse, Karl. Wunderrūma even for temporary export, without go‐ one of those earrings and for me it is in‐ Stone Shell connection in the catalogue? has been one of those projects where just ing through an approval process by the teresting. And it was quite a revelation when you thought everything was done Ministry of Heritage and Culture. Te how they wear it in the ear – how they Warwick: A little bit in my introductory something else comes along. All the application gets sent out to experts, who put a piece of material on it and pull it essay. As I said in that essay, I didn’t ex‐ time. Tere has been this incredible per‐ give an opinion over whether the taonga through the ear hole. It looks pretty cool pect to be referencing Bone Stone Shell formance for the staf at Te Dowse over can go for a holiday. and totally amazing and this picture tells but it does relate in that it is a precedent. the ability to send material from one the story of how this piece works really It was more the synchronicity of it pop‐ country to another country ofcially. It Kristin: Did you have any idea of the beautifully as jewellery. It looks amazing ping up 25 years later. A lot of the poli‐ seems 90% of the show has been fumi‐ amount of work for this? on that person and that is such a big part tics around Bone Stone Shell was about gated. Tat’s a terrible exaggeration but it of how jewellery works.. and then on an‐ who got lef out: there are at least 3 seems that most NZ jewellery is either Warwick: Not on that level. No, the orig‐ other hand the text in the catalogue from artists in Wunderrūma that were making made out of shit, or a protected some‐ inal idea was to bang it all in a suitcase Areta Wilkinson shows that confict – is in those materials back then but weren’t thing or rather. It seems a feather cant and stroll into Munich with it. But it it jewellery or not? How do we look at it? included in Bone Stone Shell. It’s not like leave the country with out a certifcate, went way beyond that in interesting I really like all these aspects coming to‐ they are doing anything diferent now, it and if it happens to be a gannet feather, ways. If you want to engage with the mu‐ gether – it is just a piece of pounamu is just that it now feels right to include like on Alan Preston’s piece then it has to seums you have to accept their criteria. with a hole and now we have the whole their work. Bone Stone Shell was a lot be publicly gazetted for 30 days by DOC Tere has been a bit of frustration but we jewellery discussion going on. about exclusion I think because it was (Department of Conservation) to see if have got used to it now. trying to frame a particular idea around anyone objects to it leaving for a while. Warwick: I think the choice of some of what contemporary jewellery practice in In our feld we just put in a box and not Kristin: Have you got any of your own the Maori pieces are not highly crafed NZ should look like. We don’t have that tell anybody but Te Dowse is obliged to work done in the last 6 months? pieces of adornment. Tey are what Karl same framework around this show. Not tell everybody. We think more paper‐ says – a rock with a hole in it. But they at all. Ours is more democratic. work is travelling with the show than Warwick: Not much – the Wunder has do the job. Tey do the business once 14 Overview #16, March 2014 you put then into the kind of context Warwick: We are working on that basis that Karl is talking about. but will see how that goes - for us they do have a kind of conversation; a narra‐ Raewyn: But that kind of expanded con‐ tive and the categories… how many versation is not going to happen in Mu‐ clumps can you recall Karl? nich is it? It is going to happen here be‐ cause it is not their conversation. It is Karl: How many? Ich weiß nicht. More ours. than ten.
Warwick: And if you assume the respon‐ Warwick: Tere is work that has made it sibility that you are going to explain ev‐ into the show because of its sometimes erything in the show to everybody then I tenuous relationship to other work in the think you are kidding yourself. show. Tis makes our selection a little unstable. I think there is a lot of instabil‐ Kristin: It is going to be labelled when ity in the show and I think that interests you see it? us. You ask the question all the time: is it good? Good enough to put in the show Warwick: I think the only labelling you and travel it half way around the world? get is what you see in the catalogue: the On its own sometimes it isn’t but with name of the work, the date of production the other work yes - it gets to earn its and the materials. Te more ambitious passage. version of the show was that there should be no names, - no makers names Karl: Te works are what they… they are and no dates,. what you look at. Tere is no trick.
Sharon: Ooo, you would completely sub‐ Kristin: Well thank you so much for vert the jewellery hierarchy… this…and good luck
Warwick: Tere is no hierachy in the Sharon: Who wants another pineapple Wunderrūma. lump?
Sharon: So do you think you are going All: Yes please! to display it in the clumps?
Sharon Fitness, Karl Waving, 2013 Overview #16, March 2014 15
fned as a treasured thing. It is the status a n d m a g i c c o m e t o m i n d . One mans' taonga is another an object might acquire when it is really Coincidentally, there is a Māori word special. In the Māori world it is thought that jeweller, Areta Wilkinson[8] point‐ to contain a living force. In Europe, it ed out to me, that just blows my mind. man's grandmother might be akin to objects found in a Whakaahua, means concept taking cathedral --- or in the crypts of said form. And it describes the process of say, cathedral. But I am way out of my depth a carving in a meeting house, represent‐ Kristin D'Agostino here and eagerly await the essay by Areta ing an ancestor and over the generations Wilkinson in the Wunderrūma cata‐ becoming or embodying that ancestor. Te more she learns, the less she knows. “WHAT?!?! TAONGA?” logue discussing how taonga is not jew‐ So that is what we are talking about. She invites us along for the random, ellery. Tere is breath amongst the jewellery in bumpy ride as she grapples with the con‐
‘ohhhhh, Did that say taonga?!?!?’ Pre-European contact, Māori was an oral culture. An email and a phone call: Stories, songs and treasured objects re‐ Day 1 Te email: ferring to important ancestors have a whole diferent role in an oral culture. Dear K – Taonga – is sometimes translated as trea‐ Hope your trip to States is great and you sure “procured by the spear” or “highly are enjoying time with the Whanau prized object”[2] (family). Life is good here. Wunderrūma is including taonga. Good luck on the Tere are 83 words for the color red in fight. See you next week. Māori.[3].
Love, Koha – present[4] a gif.
Guildette Mana - power, authority, respect, pres‐ tige.[5] Day 2 Te phone lines circle the globe: A contextual note on taonga for my fel‐
Clouds, Auckland, 2013, p 11.
[4] McCarthy, Conal, Exhibiting Maori: A history of colonial cultures of display, Berg, Oxford, 2007, p 209
[5] ibid
[6] McCarthy, Conal, Exhibiting Maori: A history of colonial cultures of display, Berg, Oxford, 2007, p 177.
[7] ibid, p 176.
[8] I would like to thank Areta for the generosity, kindness and patience she has extended throughout my learning curve. She has given more than can be adequately noted in this tiny text.
[9] Paton, Justin, B.171, Autumn 2013, Christchurch art gallery, pg 13 http:// christchurchartgallery.org.nz/bulletin/ 171/speaking-sticks-moving-targets/, Accessed 13/2/2014.
[10] ibid
[11] Bi-culturalism in New Zealand terms is Maori and other.
[12] Signed on 6 February 1840 by rep‐ resentatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Is‐ land, the Treaty of Waitangi , established a British Governor of New Zealand, recognised Māori ownership of their lands and other properties, and gave the Māori the rights of British subjects but its practical application is still a debated issue.
[13] Food is considered tapu, sacred, and it is considered disrespectful to play with food.
[14] Exhibiting Maori, http://www.ama‐ zon.com/Exhibiting-Maori-History- Colonial-Cultures/dp/1845204751, Ac‐ cessed 11/2/2014
[15] McCarthy, Conal, Exhibiting Maori: A history of colonial cultures of display, Berg, Oxford, 2007, p 177.
[16] McCarthy, Conal, Exhibiting Maori: tion from the working party on Cultural A history of colonial cultures of display, issues: Families growing together, New Berg, Oxford, 2007, p 180. Zealand Play Centre Federation, Auck‐ land, 1990. P 45 [17] Laird, Tessa. A Rainbow Reader, Clouds, Auckland, 2013, p62. [19] McCarthy, Conal, Exhibiting Maori: A history of colonial cultures of display, [18] Report to the NZ Playcentre Ferdera‐ Berg, Oxford, 2007, p 177. 18 Overview #16, March 2014 Benchview Neke Moa
Neke Moa
Ngati Kahungunu, Kai Tahu, Ngati Porou, Tuwharetoa
Mana Motuhake: Independence through self determination. Being Tangata Whenua and Wahine Maori informs and enriches my art practice. A platform for social, political and cultural exchanges. My jewellery challenges and engages its audience through materials, concepts, research and development. Pounamu is the material that energises my creativity and is connected to heart and soul.
Most favourite tool is my Dremel! Every‐ thing gets a lick over with that tool!! [email protected] www.maorijeweller.vc.net.nz Neke the inner sanctum Overview #16, March 2014 19 Studio Visit Fran Allison
Surrounded by dogs and visiting friends, was even funded by the Ministry of For‐ Zealanders…you know sometimes you the Australian show, which I think was and amidst the sound of shelves being eign Afairs, or Tourism Board. I don’t have to step out of your environment to in 2010 and I thought ‘Hey we can do made in the front room, Sharon and think it went to Europe though. see who you are. that’. So, there I was being introduced to Raewyn sit down to interview Fran Alli‐ Herr Lösche and I said I really think you son – Wunderrūma starter, jeweller, Raewyn: Hmm, we are interested in that. Fran: I certainly think it is going to raise should have a New Zealand show. artist, and teacher. What does it become by going to Europe a lot of questions, which is good. Hope‐ as opposed to being here? fully what it will do is stimulate some Raewyn: Nice one! All: Hello, hi, ooo a whippet, Buenos discussion. I am sure some people are Dias, bonjour, hiya…oh hullo going to hate it and there will be some Fran: Yes, I am never known to keep my people who really don’t understand the mouth zipped in that sort of situation. Fran: Sharon and Raewyn are here to in‐ choices. I don’t understand some of the And nothing came of it. And then, I terview me. choices but I am not going to say who think it was the year before last, Karl said they are. to Wolfgang, I would really like to do a Friend: Oh why? And on what? New Zealand show. And Wolfgang said, Sharon: Haha...Are those apricots on the I think you should talk to Fran, he re‐ Fran: For their magazine, I feel very ground Fran? membered. So Karl rang me and said privileged. shall we do this. And I thought Warwick Fran: Tey are peaches but they have a and Karl would be a great team, so I Friend: Ahhh disease that causes them to fall of before called Warwick and asked him if he creative fencing they are ripe and they never ripen. I wanted to do this. And he ummed and Raewyn: So we could start out talking tried everything. Here have some éclairs. arred and said alright then. about the Wunderrūma show. Tere is So I can't really say anything about the an article from Liesbeth in which she show until I have seen it. Sharon: You put him on the spot. mentions that she is looking forward to seeing what Karl and Warwick will do – Raewyn: What can you say really. Fran: It was really great he agreed. And Te grand old man and the smart arse it is interesting that people are compar‐ she calls them. Sharon: What about the set up? ing it to Bone, Stone, Shell because it is a completely diferent kettle of fsh – to ex‐ Fran: Hahahahah. Fran: Tat will be a Warwick and Karl tend the fshing metaphor. scenario. Raewyn: Yeah, quite the call. Raewyn: Yes, but in terms of scale and Raewyn: Karl is good at that stuf. international ambitions, and the idea Fran: Oh that is great. Of course War‐ that it involves a broad section of the wick’s other title is god. Whenever Niki Fran: He is. It is kinda like making a jewellery community. (Hastings-McFall) emails she calls him piece. Tey would be thinking about it. that. In some ways Te Dowse show is a more Note: Bone, Stone, Shell was made up of important show because they tried to 12 exhibitors Wunderrūma has over 60 Sharon: Haha.. Dear God… borrow a lot of stuf from Te Papa but it didn’t work out because it couldn’t travel. Sharon: Warwick and Karl have been re‐ Raewyn: It’s me, Niki… And remember Sharon; we saw all that ally inclusive eh? Tey have looked at a amazing stuf with Dr Michaela Appel in lot of people’s work. Fran: It has been really interesting actu‐ the Volkerkunde museum. We saw some ally, because I had nothing to do with beautiful stuf there. Sharon: Tis éclair is massive. the work they picked which is how it should be… Sharon: Are they using any of that? Fran: Shall we go halves? Fran Allison, Martha's Duster, 2011 Raewyn: And what is your impression of Fran: A couple of pieces. Te specifcally Sharon: Yeah. the show – what is it? Fran: I think Wunderrūma talks about NZ pieces not the wider Pacifc. the connections with Munich – the Fran: I know they found some surpris‐ Fran: It is an eclectic, strange, no that’s Academie features large – Lisa went to Raewyn: How long have they given ing things, which is the great thing about not the right word…a quirky look at the Munich Academie, Flora is there themselves to set up? a public call for work. Tere are so many what has been made and what is being now, there is very strong connection be‐ other things that are happening – we made in New Zealand – through their tween Otto and Warwick. Tey have a Fran: Tree days. now have so many people in Talente eyes. It’s good. Warwick talks about it strong friendship. And Hermann Junger thanks to Renee doing a great job, Shel‐ very well and so he will fll you in. It is came out years ago, which is when it kin‐ Fran: Yeah. And Niki is going to do the ley Norton and Peter Deckers in great that it is happening. I fgured my da started. So it talks a lot about the con‐ tree outside so that is going to be really Schmuck. Tere are going to be so many role, really, was helping it to happen. nection with Munich and with Germany. cool. people there. Is Ross going?
Raewyn: So if we think about the last Slurp, slurp slurp – very hot day and one Sharon: Mmmm Raewyn: Yeah. He is my roomie. When I major international jewellery event, of the dogs needs a drink booked my hotel I could only get a twin Bone Stone Shell would you see them as Fran: I know, it is really exciting that it is room, so I sold the other bed to him. quite diferent? Raewyn: Yeah, I get the sense, without happening. Te frst year that I went seeing the show and without yet reading over to Munich was 2009 and I thought Friend: (passing back through): It is like Fran: Oh yes, they are completely difer‐ the catalogue, that going to Munich and wow, this is great. I met up with some the garden of eden around here. Look ent. Bone Stone Shell was done specif‐ then returning to Te Dowse is going to people I had studied and worked with in there are grapes and peaches… cally for the overseas market – I think it make everything clearer for us. As New England, it was fantastic and I looked at 20 Overview #16, March 2014
Fran: Yeah, the peaches… didn't match the decision I had made incredible generosity of people giving me camera’s still going and making sure its long ago to never send work out unless I such a lot of their time, you know. And not jolting and that the questions are still Friend: Tere are bananas around the was happy with it. So now I work difer‐ people spending the whole day. I spent happening. Oh, when I was talking to corner. I’m going to eat that éclair, is that ently, and I am lucky I have the freedom pretty much the whole day with Daniel Liesbeth in her home, her cat jumped up alright? to do that cause the teaching keeps me, Kruger, and went out to lunch with him. and was walking all over everything and and Raewyn, you said to me a while In some ways so much was missed when rubbing against the camera. It was great. Fran: Yeah, go on. back; where is your work, you haven’t I paused the camera when we had con‐ got anything out there. versations over lunch, and I think back Raewyn: But it’s quite like a threshold Friend: Sorry to interrupt you. and think – what did we say there – really, I mean, coming to interview you, Raewyn: Oh man, that is twice you have whereas the other stuf, I’ve got it all and taking photos of your workshop, Fran: I am actually a bit nervous about brought that up. I feel bad. recorded and I can refer back to it. It’s and then seeing those photos in the what they want to know. fantastic. I think any kind of nervous‐ Wunderrūma catalogue… and you know Fran: Yeah, I was quite shocked when ness disappears, the more you talk… so that Tinkspace show I just had, I used Raewyn: We are easing you into it. you said that but then I thought, no that as long as you just leave the camera an image of my studio for the invite, and is ok. I have work, I have been making where it is, people forget that its as soon as I had sent it of I felt a bit Fran: Yeah, we have been talking gener‐ but I don’t want to send out failures. Te running, and then they just start talking. yucky actually. alities so far. Hey see you guys at shed is full of failures. lunchtime. Sharon: Yeah, I had two cameras point‐ Fran: It’s such a private space. Raewyn: Oh goody. We will have to have ing at me. Friend: Ok see ya. a look at those. Raewyn: It is! Oh well, thanks for letting Raewyn: Two cameras? Two angles? us in. Raewyn: When you work on your jew‐ Note – in the shed we did not see failures ellery do you work to a project or do you we saw lots of interesting experiments. Fran: Tat’s right. Oh that just was Fran: Ha, that’s alright. just go in there? Graeme being smart. Raewyn: So when you have done your Raewyn: But…how much do you need Fran: I have always in the past worked video interviews of other people in their Sharon: Doing a spare or something… to know about the person and the mak‐ towards an exhibition or show, cause workshops, have you noticed a pattern of And one of them did turn of aye. ing to get more out of the work. Do you that is how I work best – the pressure of how people present themselves? Or has need to know that stuf? a deadline – and then I realized, afer it been quite honest? Fran: Yeah, but I got much more low- doing those videos and having fantastic tech than that when I was doing it on my Fran: Well when I was doing those con‐ conversations with all these jewellers, Fran: People have been incredibly gener‐ own. Initially it was really difcult to versations/interviews, it wasn’t so much that I have gone about it completely arse ous, with the interviews that I have done. work the camera. Because I had done my about the work, it was more about the about face. Because, in the past, I wasn't I was absolutely amazed, when I took homework and worked out what I want‐ process, so I was interested in the difer‐ always happy about what went out, so it that trip and went to Amsterdam – the ed to know, but trying to make sure the ent methods and ways that people... Overview #16, March 2014 21 sometimes, you have to trick yourself Sharon: Organise paper clips. Raewyn: Nobody would debate that that is a deadline you know, and I do into making stuf. these days. that for family. Fran: Yeah, look at the cobwebs. R+S: Mmmm Fran: No, what we did then with Weeds Raewyn: Of course. Are these your Raewyn: Yeah I saw a cicada caught in a was ‘of its time’, and I think that what has structures? Raewyn: So, who is it for? spider’s web the other day, outside my happened is that, we use Weeds now as a window. I thought, Shit! Tat’s a big way to crit each others work, which is Fran: Yeah those are the things that I Fran: Te videos? Tey are for you all. meal for a spider, it will last for weeks. fantastic, but we are all talking about started to make out of the structures for Tey are for all makers who make stuf. So.. is Weeds going to do anything soon? what’s relevant now actually. the fowers.
Raewyn: Do you have a stand out inter‐ Sharon: Cool, do you mind if we touch? view? Fran: Yeah, Touch anything. I’ve got the Fran: Hmm… Stand out interview… shed next door too, which is supposed to god, that’s really hard… Daniel Kruger be mine as well. It has got my linisher… was good. Warwick – he had been the latest, and it’s really good. He always has Raewyn: Ooooh! Oh I would love one of gems of wisdom dropping out of his those. Um… and do you listen to your mouth right lef and centre. cassettes? where the magic happens structure brooches Sharon: I know! Fran: No, haha, I know, look at them! And there are more in here…that’s how Fran: One of the things I was interested old I am. in - and this was why Wunderrūma is so interesting for me – is that whole thing Raewyn: And they are taped ones, of of place, because its something that in something else. New Zealand we spend so much time mulling over – you know, here we are, Sharon: Retro. such a long way from many things, there’s a lot of sea between us and the Fran: Yeah, home taped. I don’t usually next continent – and we always sort of plating favourites the famous shelf of tins listen to them, I don’t know why they are go ‘Are we up to speed? Are we? Are we? there. Tey are there because I can't It’s at the back of our psyche I think, throw them away. quite a lot of the time. Not so much now actually, but it used to be like that. And Raewyn: I know, I’ve got a few cassettes. identity, things about identity are always at the forefront, and so, the idea of place Fran: And look at these draws… Te and how and if where you are – what Travelling Willburys. kind of infuence it has on your making and material choices. And that was one Sharon: I used to have that CD. I re‐ of the questions that I asked everybody. member when I borrowed your old bee‐ Te responses were very interesting. I’m tle, you had one tape in the tape deck. putting a video on vimeo next week that Yeah, I don’t know who it was, it was is about place, in time for Schmuck I that one that goes ‘Suddenly I see’.. hope, so it’s not about one person and their processes, its got lots of bits and Raewyn: And this is the famous shelf! pieces in it. Fran: Yeah, full of tins. Raewyn: I saw that ones that you played at JEMposium, that sort of trailer, which Raewyn: Oh, there’s one with a hole cut was really good – the Helen Britton one out. really stood out for me, jaw dropping, Fran with button experiment actually. Sharon: Oh, I have to get a photo of that Fran: We are having a meeting next Let’s go out to the shed. Tin Lei. Fran: I want to do a big one on her be‐ week. We are all so vague at the moment. cause she’s a very good person to inter‐ Sharon: Tat is a great vice. Raewyn: And have you got a favourite view, she’s very clear. I need to see if I Raewyn: It is such a great thing. tool? can go and get more material from her Fran: I know, that was here when I actually. Yeah, I am quite excited about Fran: Yeah, Weeds was actually a direct came. Te guy that lived here, the Niue Fran: Oooh…. Te thing that frst them. And so I’m kind of hoping that if I response to Bone Stone Shell, because it Island family that lived here, the father springs to mind is this old pair of paral‐ send the videos out there, it might give came out of that Bone Stone Shell lecture or son used to repair cars, and so I got a lel pliers. Tey have a little groove in other people the same making injection. that Damian was at, at the Museum. An‐ fantastic socket set. And this vice I them. Tey are really really beautiful to drea and I came out and we looked at bought and sent over from Australia. use. Sharon: Oh, yeah, it will. each other and said ‘Tere is so much more than Bone Stone Shell!’ Raewyn: You are kidding me. It’s so Sharon: Wow, look at all those tools Raewyn: Or just… get thrilled again by heavy. Fran! being in the workshop. Raewyn: What year was this? Fran: So I’ve currently got to make some Fran: Tere aren’t many. I lef most of Fran: Yeah, get enthused. Sharon: T at would have been wedding bands for my niece, who is get‐ my stakes behind when I lef England. 2005/2006 wouldn’t it? ting married in three weeks time. Tey It’s really funny because whenever I go Raewyn: You know, sometimes if you are very specifc about what they want, back to London I stay with my oldest have a deadline, you just go in there and Fran: Yeah so this particular texture here, and I friend Jules, and I lef her with my really sit. don’t usually do stuf like that but I guess big engineers fat plate, and we jointly 22 Overview #16, March 2014 owned lots of stakes because she is a sil‐ Raewyn: Tat’s a nice scale. people’s workshops are such interesting Fran: Do you? I remember when I came versmith….. I look at them and want spaces, because they are private spaces, out to video you, you were in the bath‐ them back! Fran: Te other thing that I realised and so, they have things in there that you room. It was just hilarious, because you from the videos is that you are working just never see. And things in there that had this kind of board that went over the Raewyn: Oh my gosh! Look at them. away, and in some ways you are aware of you never thought they might be inter‐ bath that you were working on. And look at this! (bendy fork) what other people are doing in your im‐ ested in, which is great. And in New mediate group that you talk to, but it’s Zealand, some people have fantastic Raewyn: No baths in there… You could Fran: Oh yeah, I make these things that bath and make at the same time perhaps. are um.. Sharon: Yeah nah. We don’t have enough Raewyn: Oh, it’s bendy! Tat’s useful. water for that…
Fran: It's really useful. Raewyn: But I think we talked to Shelley about doing a workshop interview for Sharon: Yeah, if you need a bendy fork. Overview and she said ‘Oh no, I just sit on my couch’ and I said ‘Exactly, that’s Fran: It's like how I make those things the point’ you know, because she always there with legs. I actually want to move says such great things. It would have back into making bigger things at the been interesting. moment, so I thought right, that is what I’m gonna do, I am going to go in there Fran: Yeah. and make bigger things. Sharon: One day we’ll get her. Raewyn: Right. And what is happening here? Fran: Tis used to be a wash house, it used to be half the size. When I frst Fran: Oh, that’s me messing around with moved here I used to use this cruddy lit‐ the new things… with the idea that... tle washhouse and then my cousin Max well, I don’t know yet. I am going to things with legs who is a builder came up and we built make one like this – like that. A gingham another metre out. one. What I want to do is make a whole lot of buttons that emulate fabrics, but Raewyn: And that’s plenty of room, isn’t they are actually objects, they are not it. Do you have a log? I’m getting a log buttons. It's that thing – one of the soon, I’m very excited about that. things that Warwick said when I inter‐ viewed him which I always think of - Fran: I want a log, but I fear that it you know, that thing he does, where he wouldn’t actually ft. Where are you get‐ takes objects and he transforms them by ting your log from? changing the material, so that you change the reading. So if you think Sharon: We chopped down a tree. about those handles that he did, you know, they came from something that he Raewyn: Yep, Sharon is my log baron. picked up on a beach, which was the Do you use your silversmithing stuf handle of an old screwdriver. And if you much? change the material, you change the way it's read and you change the scale, then it Fran: Yip. It’s one of those things – if you becomes something other. You start to are taught that way, then that’s the way read it as something else. But, you still you tend to go frst. see the essence of it. So you saw this, you saw it as a button because it is a button, greespace in central auckland Sharon: You could teach some silver‐ but maybe it's just one small part that smithing at school… Tat’s what we makes it recognisable as a button – only interesting to fnd out that there are workshops, like, the view form Peter should do with the year ones! Can we that. things that everybody who makes things Deckers workshop is phenomenal – please? does, and I think everybody who makes down the valley – it’s just such a beauti‐ Raewyn: So you are not thinking of things, collects things. Even if they don’t ful workshop. Fran: Yes! Let’s do it. It’s so fun. them as jewellery. physically collect things, they might be collecting images… or youtube videos, Raewyn: But I also like the idea that Sharon: Yeah, because I don’t know how Fran: Yeah, maybe.. I mean that’s why I or they might be collecting stuf, you there are people who have set up in their to do it. put that on it. So yeah, it is jewellery, but know. laundry, just a little possie, or you know, it needs to go back on the body. Because Mary said at a lecture once that she was Fran: Yes, it’s such good fun. I love it – I it’s a button as well, it needs to go back Raewyn: Mmm it’s a big part of it isn’t it. set up at the end of her bed for a while, haven’t done any classic silversmithing, on clothing. Tat’s what struck me in those photos in because its all about how you don’t have and raising for years. Tat’s alright. the Wunderrūma catalogue, of the stu‐ to have the perfect workshop to make When I’m in London I will get Jules to dios. Tere were piles of stuf, it was all stuf. give me a little sample session. about stuf Fran: And it’s like the gallery, you know, Sharon: Yeah, we have all those stakes, Sharon: Yeah, I saw that. I was actually like Zoe’s bedroom gallery. it’s a shame not to use them. trying to recognise all the workshops and people in the photos. Tere were a Raewyn: Oh yeah. Fran: I know. I’ve got to get that lathe lot of guys in there that I had never seen working at work too. I’ve been wanting before – older guys.. Sharon: I have two workshop spaces set to do that for ages – I want to do those up, but I actually do most of my work on buttons on it. Fran: It’s such a good idea. I think other the kitchen table, or in the lounge. Overview #16, March 2014 23
Raewyn: Oh well, this is all very inspir‐ ing.
Fran: Is it. Oh good, because I opened it up this morning and thought, oh dear - Brandlandia because it’s all very familiar to me. But it’s nice to see all the little things that other people pick up on. WELCOME TO THE PERSONAL SPACE PROJECT Sharon: Just your pliers collection is pretty awesome, and all the little fles and bits of scrap everywhere… and the PERSONAL SPACE PROJECT is an on‐ little things that you put on your win‐ line gallery documenting a private dowsill. gallery that exists in the real world. On‐ line 24 hours or in real life by appoint‐ We admire the green spaces at the end of ment. Located in Canberra, Australia in Fran’s garden, made up of all the back‐ the bedroom of jeweller Zoe Brand. yards of the neighbourhood. So much green space in the centre of Grey Lynn For me, being a contemporary art jew‐ eller means that not only do I make ob‐ Sharon: Tis is where Fran got married. jects but I also deal in ideas and this I make artwork that exploits common Down there in the garden. We were run‐ project at its very basic level is a gallery conceptions about traditional jewellery. I ning really late and I ran in here and that hopes to explore this further. It also ofer up humorous comments in the stood on the shed step and looked happens to be located in my bedroom. form of jewellery, small scale artworks around. And like, ten seconds later she and occasionally the odd participatory walked out onto the deck and down the I wanted a space that was about the project or performance. I want to make Sharon Fitness, September 2013 stairs. ideas, not the need to sell the work, or to you think about why it is that you wear, play it safe. I wanted to be able to call the give or desire jewellery. I want to make Fran: Yes that’s right. Tat was really shots, exhibit artists who were doing in‐ you think about everyday materials and good timing. And you got it all on video! teresting work and projects, and who how they have the ability to tell stories of didn't perhaps always ft in the normal their own. I also want to make you ques‐ Sharon: Yeah, I was wearing my video gallery/shop realm. I have chosen to lo‐ tion how you view the world. Perhaps, brooch. cate it in a personal space, a place where afer this experience you might fnd a re‐ you would normally store your jewellery newed glint in your eye, a smile on your Fran: I keep fnding myself going back to afer it is purchased and when it is not face and a beer in your hand, because doing things with fowers and bloody na‐ being worn. It seemed to me then that a sometimes life shouldn’t be so serious. ture things, you know.. and I think its bedroom, my bedroom was a perfectly Roseanne Bartley, October 2013 because you see it all the time. sensible place to house such a gallery. Tis idea has been swimming around in my head for a number of years and I'm Raewyn: But it's what you do with it that Jewellery is a part of dress, a part of who so thrilled that it now exists in the real matters. we are and how we present ourselves to world. I will exhibit contemporary art the world. It is also a part of how people jewellers and artists who deal in ideas Fran: I keep banging my head against it read our appearance even before we have and manifest their way of viewing the and going ‘Flowers and jewellery.. No! spoken a word. Te reality that jewellery world into refreshing, remarkable and No more’ but, you know. is superfuous to the body, and requires ofen witty, objects, art works and the conscious decision of the wearer to projects. Fran: Does anyone want to go halves in put it on and wear out, is precisely the another chocolate éclair? very thing that makes it such an interest‐ Te PERSONAL SPACE PROJECT ex‐ Duke Frost, November 2013 ing and exciting idea to investigate. ists as a real space that you can visit (by Sharon: Okay then. appointment), however Canberra isn't a Contemporary art jewellery has a bit of a huge bustling city, despite it being Aus‐ hard time being understood by the gen‐ tralia's capital. I believe that the need eral public, not to mention artists, de‐ for an online presence is important so To watch Fran’s Jewellery Conversations signers, and even jewellers might not al‐ that the ideas can spread further and videos, log into ways comprehend what we do. Perhaps engage a wider audience outside of this is because jewellery is one of those Canberra. things that everyone inherently under‐ stands and they cling to their precon‐ I hope this gives you something just a bit http://jewelleryconversations.com ceived notions of it like a life raf. diferent to ponder at night before you Nina Baker, December 2013 drif of to sleep and that it might delight People know how it works, where to put or excite you as much as it does me. Wel‐ it, where to buy it, when to wear it, and come to the PERSONAL SPACE PRO‐ when to give it. Tey also know why they JECT, I think you’ll be very happy here. wear it, although undoubtedly this could be understood on a sliding scale or con‐ scious and subconscious actions. Con‐ temporary art jewellery pushes the - Zoe Brand boundaries of these constructs. It can ask challenging questions of its viewers, of‐ ten requires boldness of its wearers, and Caz Guiney, February 2014 sometimes disregards the body altogeth‐ er. www.personalspaceproject.com.au 24 Overview #16, March 2014 thank you for your support
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