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Up Next: NEXUS 26 June - 25 July 2026
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JILL STEGMANN
New Zealand citizen, South African born, of Anglo-Scots heritage Rena left an object for me at Utopia. I was intrigued. On first sight I thought it was a demented electric toothbrush suitable for a mammal somewhat larger than a human. On touch it was very tough rigid plastic, totally unsuitable for introduction into any living creature’s mouth. This strange object was Rena’s invitation and challenge – was it possible to make an installation? Would I be interested? With each family visit, Rena brought more boxes of bicycle exhaust toys to Whanganui. There were so many and as an object they were strange and ugly. The first order of business was to unpack the bicycle exhaust toys and think about them, their origins as an initial design, their manufacture and transportation across the globe. During this process, I noticed that besides the bicycle exhaust toy, there were wires, zip ties, plastic mounting pads and stickers that all had potential for use as sculptural elements. The ‘neck’ of the bicycle exhaust toy made me think of a plant holding it’s leaves to the light and surveillance cameras. The plant thread of my idea led me to discover a book called Case Studies – A Story of Plant Travel by Felicity Jones and Mark Smith. In 1829 Dr Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward made sealed miniature glasshouses and conducted experiments to see if plants could survive for long periods of time in this environment. |
Jill Stegmann installing her work at UTOPIA Gallery
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These Wardian cases as they were called, were used to transport plants all over the world, as well as to and from New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Case Studies explores the use of Wardian cases, and the meaning and consequences this had for New Zealand.
We are most fortunate in Whanganui, to have an installation by Isabella Loudon on show at the Sarjeant Gallery which has influenced this work, as well as her project in Marton which was part of Artists’ Open Studios in 2024. Isabella’s floor talk gave the chance to ask questions and hear answers.
I looked at the paintings of Agnes Martin, who was born in Canada in 1912. She moved to America to study, and in the later years of her life found home in the desert plains of New Mexico. In the early 1960’s, during her breakthrough period she covered six foot square canvases with pencil grids and delicate veils of colour.
I stumbled upon the Glaswegian artist Karla Black in the final months of this project. She considers herself a sculptor. Sometimes her works hang on walls and sometimes they scatter across the floor, but they are always sculpture. Her work is abstract in nature and she uses paper, clay and other everyday materials including cosmetics, vaseline and body moisturisers.
I would like to thank Rena for inviting me to join her, Ange for generously allowing us to use her gallery Utopia, and providing the support required to mount an exhibition.
Mary of Philp-Wrights for the donation of cardboard tubes.
Sotiris of GoFox for the donation of pallets and Mark for the cups of tea.
We are most fortunate in Whanganui, to have an installation by Isabella Loudon on show at the Sarjeant Gallery which has influenced this work, as well as her project in Marton which was part of Artists’ Open Studios in 2024. Isabella’s floor talk gave the chance to ask questions and hear answers.
I looked at the paintings of Agnes Martin, who was born in Canada in 1912. She moved to America to study, and in the later years of her life found home in the desert plains of New Mexico. In the early 1960’s, during her breakthrough period she covered six foot square canvases with pencil grids and delicate veils of colour.
I stumbled upon the Glaswegian artist Karla Black in the final months of this project. She considers herself a sculptor. Sometimes her works hang on walls and sometimes they scatter across the floor, but they are always sculpture. Her work is abstract in nature and she uses paper, clay and other everyday materials including cosmetics, vaseline and body moisturisers.
I would like to thank Rena for inviting me to join her, Ange for generously allowing us to use her gallery Utopia, and providing the support required to mount an exhibition.
Mary of Philp-Wrights for the donation of cardboard tubes.
Sotiris of GoFox for the donation of pallets and Mark for the cups of tea.
RENA STAR
Ngati Tūwharetoa, Scottish, Irish
Sitting with and keeping a few of the bicycle exhaust toy forms around in my immediate environment, initially bought up a myriad of ideas and images. These ideas sprung from this form reminding me of Pou in the meeting house, a thought that was repeatedly returned to; to whakairo and amo on the outside of whare; to robot and space creatures; to whakapakoko / god sticks; to Indigenous Australian memory sticks; to the rakau kaitiaki surrounding the embattlements guarding kainga / village.
The common theme from the ideas of the form of the bicycle exhaust toy appeared to be of Tupuna/Tipuna. As this exhibition is during Puanga/Matariki period of the year, it seemed appropriate to honour my memories of loved ones. Pōhutukawa is the star of the Matariki constellation, who reminds us to remember those who have gone before us and paved the way. I have also acknowledged another star from the constellation, Tupuārangi who encourages us to appreciate the earth and things that grow above ground and those in it, for example the manu/birds in the Ngāhere.
My mahi toi in this exhibition was informed and inspired by many and varied other art works I’ve seen both on Marae, in museums, other art exhibitions as well as numerous books read in my life.
The opportunity to explore with materials I haven’t used previously - namely paper clay, and found objects, as well as the decorative stickers enclosed with the boxed bicycle exhaust toy, was a rather compelling and consuming process once I started making. First, I played with the actual plastic exhaust toy and explored the bright colours and decoration stickers from the original packaging and then later also to include it on some of the surfaces of the forms made from paper clay.
This then led to covering the slick plastic of the bicycle exhaust toy with texture and to disrupt the smooth machine-made surface. This was done by finding ways to interfere and move away from the industrial feel of the original bicycle exhaust toy, like elongating specific parts. One Pou has been left exposed so part of the armature as well as the covering process is visual. The challenges that accompany using new media and the fact that they seem to have a mind of their own and evolve accordingly, was ever present in the process of creating, resulting in the objects you see displayed. The end result of the paper clay at times reminded me of carved pumice whakapakoko.
These creations are not for sale as the materials are impermanent - the marking of time will be as it is….
There is no knowing how long they will last inside or out in the weather.
Ngati Tūwharetoa, Scottish, Irish
Sitting with and keeping a few of the bicycle exhaust toy forms around in my immediate environment, initially bought up a myriad of ideas and images. These ideas sprung from this form reminding me of Pou in the meeting house, a thought that was repeatedly returned to; to whakairo and amo on the outside of whare; to robot and space creatures; to whakapakoko / god sticks; to Indigenous Australian memory sticks; to the rakau kaitiaki surrounding the embattlements guarding kainga / village.
The common theme from the ideas of the form of the bicycle exhaust toy appeared to be of Tupuna/Tipuna. As this exhibition is during Puanga/Matariki period of the year, it seemed appropriate to honour my memories of loved ones. Pōhutukawa is the star of the Matariki constellation, who reminds us to remember those who have gone before us and paved the way. I have also acknowledged another star from the constellation, Tupuārangi who encourages us to appreciate the earth and things that grow above ground and those in it, for example the manu/birds in the Ngāhere.
My mahi toi in this exhibition was informed and inspired by many and varied other art works I’ve seen both on Marae, in museums, other art exhibitions as well as numerous books read in my life.
The opportunity to explore with materials I haven’t used previously - namely paper clay, and found objects, as well as the decorative stickers enclosed with the boxed bicycle exhaust toy, was a rather compelling and consuming process once I started making. First, I played with the actual plastic exhaust toy and explored the bright colours and decoration stickers from the original packaging and then later also to include it on some of the surfaces of the forms made from paper clay.
This then led to covering the slick plastic of the bicycle exhaust toy with texture and to disrupt the smooth machine-made surface. This was done by finding ways to interfere and move away from the industrial feel of the original bicycle exhaust toy, like elongating specific parts. One Pou has been left exposed so part of the armature as well as the covering process is visual. The challenges that accompany using new media and the fact that they seem to have a mind of their own and evolve accordingly, was ever present in the process of creating, resulting in the objects you see displayed. The end result of the paper clay at times reminded me of carved pumice whakapakoko.
These creations are not for sale as the materials are impermanent - the marking of time will be as it is….
There is no knowing how long they will last inside or out in the weather.
UTOPIA GALLERY
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Policy for exhibiting at UTOPIA
