Art Seen: December 13

In this week's Art Seen, James Dignan looks at works by Johanna Zellmer, an exhibition by the Inge Doesburg Gallery, and art by Suji Park.

Olympiade-Sportler, by Johanna Zellmer.

‘‘Forged’’, Johanna Zellmer (Mint Gallery)

National identity is at the heart of an intriguing exhibition by Johanna Zellmer. A German-born New Zealander, Zellmer is fascinated by the geopolitics which shape us, often decided by seemingly arbitrary lines on a map.

Zellmer examines her subject by using two items which stress national identity: passports and coins. In two complementary series, the artist cuts coins to isolate the emblems they show, and uses these nationalistic totems to create display items and jewellery.

In the first series, Zellmer cuts into commemorative Deutschmarks, each emblazoned with a different design of eagle. The birds are freed from their circular prisons, the offcuts stretched flat to become symbolic landscapes. Given the slow loss of the symbol as European currency amalgamation continues adds a poignant note the finished pieces.

In the other works, mock passports are presented, each filled with dialogues with expatriates from several different countries. These are accompanied by similarly cut coins, each hammered flat and crafted into individually numbered ear decorations.

The forms produce shadowy designs on the neck, with the number unnervingly becoming an identifying tattoo. The artist is drawing on dark memories of German history, but is also light-heartedly playing with language - these tattoos are marks, albeit not Deutschmarks, and the double meaning of the exhibition title ``forged'' is also not lost on the artist.

Fowl Play, by Barry Cleavin.

‘‘20 Years’’ (Inge Doesburg Gallery)

Inge Doesburg has plenty of reasons to celebrate. She opened her gallery 20 years ago, and to commemorate, her small display area is crammed with works by 60 artists who have been associated with it.

With so many works on display, visitors are overwhelmed, as works of all sizes and styles sit cheek by jowl on the walls. Artists ranging from James Robinson to Marilyn Webb, Kathryn Madill to Olav Nielsen jostle and engage in interesting juxtapositional narratives.

Many fine pieces are presented, including a beautiful moody photograph from Doesburg herself. Other standout works include a humorous piece by Barry Cleavin, a stark outlined portrait by Mate Pavic, an impressive urban photograph by Michelle Chalklin-Sinclair, and a painstakingly photo-realistic painted scene by Ruth Cleland.

A slight down side to the exhibition is that the works aren't well labelled, so there is a fair amount of squinting at scribbled signatures to work out which work is by which artist.

With such a wealth on display, however, this is a minor quibble, and the nature of the gallery is such that it is easy to ask about individual works.

This exhibition is an indication of the talent which has contributed to the gallery. May it continue in the same manner for many years to come.

Jai (detail), by Suji Park.

‘‘ooO0oO0o0Oo o o’’, Suji Park (Brett McDowell Gallery)

The Brett McDowell Gallery has become a temporary temple, filled with miniature enigmatic shrines to the arcane beings that haunt Suji Park's imagination.

A series of small statuettes stand on hand-made rough wooden plinths around the walls of the gallery. Formed from fired clay, often with the addition of other elements, these enigmatic figurines become small personal gods, their natures concealed further by the seemingly arbitrary names - some nonsense words, others Korean slang or onomatopoeic terms.

Each of the works is obsessively hand decorated - the intricate colours of the Klimtian Buah and Ki, the unnerving multi-limbed Ris, and the delicate patterning of Yuil speak to the painstaking work the artist has put into these miniature marvels.

The figures and their means of construction draw deeply from the centuries, millennia, of representative art of Korea, and via osmosis of its often warring neighbours.

Yet there are other worldwide influences as well. There are hints of Egyptian god here, of Art Nouveau there, of phallic symbol elsewhere.

As with Johanna Zellmer's exhibition, there are explorations of national and international culture involved, but these are secondary to explorations of form and colour.

Above all, however, the watchword is of light-hearted enjoyment. Each is a fun figure, crafted with joy, and would brighten any room as its domestic icon.