Dutch ConnectionsExquisite jewellery – Shining its glittery lights in Foxton
There’s jewellery, and there is ‘art jewellery’. The differences between the two are vast. And that really shows, in the new exhibition ‘Parallax: Shine and Shadows – Spelen met Licht’ in Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom.
The art on display in the gallery, is all about illusion. The shine and glitter of jewellery will play with your imagination. The artworks are surrounded by the shadows and colourful hues of moody paintings, that will work on your emotions.
“You wouldn’t find our Parallax pieces on display in a mall, or in your average jewellery store,” says contemporary artist and jeweller Peter Deckers. “These are not your standard mass-produced pendants, rings or bracelets.”
“Art galleries however, are definitely proud to show off these exceptional pieces. The people who wear art jewellery, probably aim to say something meaningful about themselves and how they view their world.”
The artists who have come together in the Parallax group exhibition, love to work with light, ideas, concepts, and interesting new angles to look at things.
“Dutch artists since Rembrandt’s days have been fond of the concept of ‘spelen met licht’ – or playing with light,” says Peter. “We joined up as one painter and three jewellers, to do exactly that. By coming together in Parallax, we’ve created something unique.”
The official opening of Parallax by Her Excellency Mira Woldberg, the Dutch Ambassador, takes place on Saturday 17 October at 1 pm.
“The vibes of our show are pure Aotearoa, but with deep Dutch roots,” says Peter. “Some might say, that it’s all about heritage and discipline – set free in an edgy land far from everywhere else, that’s full of boundless energy and freedom from stifling traditions.”
A slightly different cultural heritage
The Parallax group exhibition shows how the artistic heritage of two nations can influence each other. One draws on another – to create something new and exciting, with an identity of its own.
“The concept of ‘Parallax’ is all about how the appearance of objects changes, if you change your position,” says Peter. “After all, the way you view your surroundings, alters what you actually see.”
“By bringing four different artists together, various perspectives of mood and transformation are presented, so we can hopefully come to see our everyday reality in a different perspective.”
Parallax: Shine and Shadows – Spelen met Licht
Parallax distinguishes itself through the artists’ innovative ways in working with light and shadows.
Each creates pieces with a clear Dutch heritage shining through in their art works.
Peter Deckers arrived in New Zealand, as a jewellery artist, in the 1980s, and has strong connections into modern European concepts, techniques and networks. He is one of a select few who can be considered as fine a contemporary artist as he is a craftsperson.
Ideas, rather than beauty, drive Peter’s practice. His objects are exquisite, but what's distinctive is that his work is actually about the ideas that surround jewellery.
Gerda Leenards captures landscapes and light in her paintings, in ways no other New Zealand artist does. She arrived at the age of 10 with her parents, but her Dutch heritage and awareness of the European masters strongly influences her work. She grasps fleeting moments, the transience of light and weather in paintings of infinite subtlety.
Her works appear to be landscape, yet are not. Gerda actually paints the light, the weather and echoes of memory, rather than the landforms.
Moniek Schrijer was born in Wellington. She is the recipient of numerous awards, with her most notable accolade being the prestigious Herbert Hofmann Preis awarded at ‘Schmuck’ in Munich.
Moniek’s practice uses a variety of traditional and unconventional jewellery techniques. Pieces move between the jewel and the object, the flat plane and the third dimension. Her work is distinct and ingenious – weaving together wry humour, critical reflexivity and technical originality.
Nina van Duijnhoven was born in The Netherlands and is based in New Zealand. Exhibiting in both countries, she often works with wood, which she changes through burning as she reflects on going through difficult times.
In her jewellery, Nina sees fire as the metaphor for the challenges of life. The theme for her work then becomes transformation or even metamorphosis, as she addresses tragedies and adversity that transform us. She aims to honour the negative to fully appreciate the positive.
Parallax: Shine and Shadows From Saturday 17 October, to Sunday 13 December
Te Awahou Nieuwe Stroom: Shared Gallery
Open Daily – Free entry: 9am – 5pm Weekdays / 10am – 4pm Weekends
Address: 92 Main Street, Foxton
ENDS
For more information, contact Arjan van der Boon at arjanv@horowhenua.govt.nz
or on 027 494 3658