Exhibition a “voyage of whimsical reality”
Sculpted wire-and-paper animal figure. Photo: Neil Wilson
Janine Scott Dickens’ latest exhibition at MONZA Gallery shows her sense of wonder, fun and fantasy.
The nearby explanation sheet is headed: “Creating sparks to ignite inner worlds” and invites the viewer on a “voyage of whimsical reality” to “a glimmering world of things only half-seen or dreamed of, chance encounters, turning points in time”.
Her exquisitely sculpted wire-and-paper animal figures, often in conversation with each other or on the point of some action, variously project feelings of intimacy, solitude, mischief or mystery. One that evokes an immediately sympathetic response is sitting with slumped shoulders, suggesting defeat or exhaustion.
Janine says that she decided to mount the exhibition to mark her recent 50th birthday and because it had been a while since she gathered a lot of pieces together.
On entering MONZA, the viewer is drawn immediately to some beautiful and artfully arranged colour photographs of Janine’s work. Because of this, it is possible to momentarily miss the squadron of fantastic fliers hanging from the ceiling. They are best viewed in motion when a little updraft causes them to glide and circle on their tethers.
Janine is a trained printmaker and painter and was a textile jeweller before turning her hand to her unique form of sculpture.
Her Over The Moon gallery is at 293 Packard Road, Motupipi, but her current exhibition gives an excellent overview of the scope, wit and charm of her work.
Neil Wilson
