Doors Unhinged

Description

A group of 13 Golden Bay artists, all exploring the theme of doors, came together to create a unique exhibition: Doors Unhinged. First shown at The Refinery Gallery in Nelson in 2013, the exhibition was remounted in Golden Bay in 2014.

“I was keen to explore doors in a metaphoric sense, with all the attendant meanings they can evoke. The idea of exhibiting on actual doors presented a technical issue for me as a printmaker, in that my work is usually small scale, framed behind glass, and requires close viewing. The opportunity to create an installation of works on paper has presented the chance to view the works in a more narrative way than usual, and one that has challenged my normal way of working.

This series of prints are intaglio etchings on zinc, combining multiple plates with embossing to give depth of colour and texture. Printmakers often present their work in handmade books, and this installation is a variation on the idea of turning pages, or opening doors on an unfolding story. Viewed sequentially, they create a narrative exploring, and opening doors normally closed on, relationships, heredity, and personal accountability. Normally viewed behind glass, the framed etching is a protected and austere statement. These vulnerable, unframed prints are exposed, and do expose. “