Following the response from London, several other countries followed suit and echoed my museum's respect. My project came out of the "how to do" books, in the library, designed for amateurs. Although, I had been sculpting, with contemporary materials, for about twenty years, professionally, before, I reached the large, plaster, figurative series, intended for bronze, bronze casting techniques, was not something addressed, in my training. I loved there being books available. Where I live, does have a peculiar history. A post English settlement, where the mother country, or England, is still somewhere, the locals refer to. Books in the library, are predominantly, from England, so, traveling to England, I found it most odd, my work fitted into, a genre of contemporary sculpture, of my generation, not familiar in these parts, of the world. Perhaps, we looked at the same book distribution, in the library. No, Dame Barbara Hepworth's or Henry Moore's, here, in New Zealand. Although, Henry Moore, reportedly, visited with an exhibition, while Moore was still alive. Even threatening us, with a series of sheep sculptures, to grace a nearby, highway. Anthony Caro, apparently visited, too. God bless. Caro, loved Colin McCahon, one of New Zealand's dearly best remembered. The work of McCahon, was that of a mad Irishman, reading scripture. Following, in McCahon's footsteps, of a passion for religious paintings, guided tours, from his book, took my partner and I sailing North. The Brera, in Milan, Italy, more known for Prada, was the home to Colin McCahon's favourite painting. The collections, in Milan, are extraordinary, especially, the Brera. Saints and sinners were of worship. Other, houses of worship, continue you traveling. Paris, has both the Harris Smith's, living in the isles, of the Louvre Museum. London is blessed with worth. The big, ticketed, catalogue shows, take us to Germany, as fast as we can.
Finding Jesus has been a popular topic for centuries. While staying in London, the Royal collections, were of note and I found myself, on a self-styled, pilgrimage, to the postwar, artist, Dame Barbara Hepworth's sculpture garden, in St. Ives, Cornwall. Hepworth, had to move to, St. Ives, because of the war, central London has been rebuilt, due to war damage. Henry Moore, had to move to the country, too. St. Ives, is a small seaside, fishing, village, popular with tourists, in summer. The connection, to the place, I hold my studio in, is significant and I feel like the Dame Barbara Hepworth, of Dunedin. Hepworth's sculpture garden is a majestic place, to visit and is continued for popular access, by the Tate, in St. Ives. We were lucky enough to visit, early, before other people arrived. The Dame Barbara Hepworth, sculptures, were so, currently contemporary as most great art, is timeless. Hepworth's religiosity is of, the Mother and Child image, as with Henry Moore and the contemporary abstracted version speaks of Hepworth's children, in a formalist way, while the hollow speaks of her womb. Henry Moore, used the same motive and quite often, Hepworth and Moore's forms, overlap, they did know and heavily influence, one another. London's parks find Henry Moore, gracing it's gardens.
London encourages you to travel elsewhere and a quick train ride takes you to Paris. Other, established museums, take you to places, books share the information of, in the library. The Rodin Museum, is one and here, you will find another of my favourites, Camille Claudel, Rodin's assistant and mistress. Examples of, Camille Claudel's work, are also, held in, the d'Orsay Museum, in Paris. The Rodin Museum, Rodin's ex-studio, is an incredible environment, of mirrored walls reflecting his sculptures, all based on Dante's, Divine Comedy. A small adjoining curated space, also, has well appointed exhibitions, of Rodin and his contemporaries and influence or those influenced by Rodin like Louise Bourgeois. The postwar, French, sculptures of, Germaine Richier, are also, as timeless, speaking of other existential ideas of existence. Giacometti, another favourite of the Paris, halls of fame, sculptures spoke of a similar idealism, a shadow of their existence. Giacometti, tended to pursue another, avenue of work and is quite well known, for his portraits, of foreign business people. As with country English people, and Kings and Queens, of note, a stylish portrait, in the fashion of the day, was recommended. The Royal collections, of the Louvre Museum, in Paris, take you on another, voyage of discovery, where you need five days.
Germany has many a ticketed, catalogue exhibition, worth visiting and with the catalogues, released early, you can do your research, before arrival. The old masters exhibitions, such as, Durer and Rogier van der Weyden, have been worth, the long haul flight. Books are well worth it and you can catch up, on all the German, contemporary exhibitions, you have missed, by visiting any good German, bookstore. The French, museum bookshops, are similar, in intensity, for this experience. I have always enjoyed, the Louvre Museum, bookshop, in Paris and they tend to display current, exhibition catalogues, for further exhibitions, to visit, around town. The bookshop at the Louvre, also, has a big display of books relating to their collections of antiquities. Germany, is also, renowned, for big collections of old maters to that of Greek antiquities. Munich is especially a favourite place. Tilman Riemenschneider, is another, favourite and the Gothic sculptor's work, is well placed, in the Bayerisches Nationalmuseum. The Glyptotheck Museum is another well visited museum and good for the Sphinx cafe, lunch. Joseph Bueys, would be my best loved German artist and although, examples are widely distributed, on view, in Germany, my last visit saw us, in Stuttgart. An old museum, had one of the most extraordinary, examples of, Joseph Bueys, on display, to the point that you wonder what they fed, the gentleman. Bueys's enshrouded mystery has you wondering why he had to pencil in, god.
Dresden, is another pleasant stay, place, for a visit and the Green Vault Museum, has to be the most odd, collection of collectables, of it's genre, ever expressed. The collection of sacred offerings, has you witnessing, Divine geometry, in the round. Exquisite bone, coral and pewter water containers bless the river. An exorbitant, temporary exhibition, of the Virgin Mary, had a post Lutheran, Catholic, view on the other side or dirty pictures on the reverse side, of sacred, early master, drawings. My subconscious, was more consumed, by entry posters, to the opening, of the revamped, Green Vault, of an image, of Daphne. Apparently, Daphne recommends, the sacred tree of growth, to locals, of the same village. We flew straight, to Dresden, from New Zealand and it was like arriving on another planet, the culture shock, takes several days, to get use to. A smaller plane, took us from the bigger, international airport, we arrived in, to Dresden and being extremely, jet lagged, we were thrust in a little plane, amongst very well attired and impeccably groomed, business men, who must have each spent, four hours, grooming, in front of the mirror, when in Rome. Following, this remarkable trip that included Cologne, a series called "Daphne and Friends" continued for the next two years, until 2008. Following, the coral drinking vessel on display, in advertising, a small, red, Daphne, had to follow. Daphne was surrounded by a Sphinx called Sphinxy, another Sphinx with a serpents tail, looking a bit more like a cartoon, cat woman, a Siren, a earth demon called Hell, and a Beggar on a skateboard. An inverse collection was to compete.
by
Nicole Page-Smith
