Art Seen: November 24

In this week's Art Seen, James Dignan looks at works by Nic Dempster, Karen Baddock, and Blue Black.

Pied Stilt, by Nic Dempster.

‘‘Umbra’’, Nic Dempster (Gallery De Novo)

In Nic Dempster's bold suburban scenes we see the combination of several influences. There are shades of cubism, the hard colour blocks of

De Stijl art, and echoes of stained-glass work, all combined into images that are still clearly townscapes.

Dempster's buildings sit as little regular boxes, brightly coloured and with the emphasis on the interplay of forms and lines.

Hillside suburbs become studied compositions in horizontal and vertical, studded with punch-card windows, the rigidity only alleviated by the bold colours and occasional bursts of foliage.

In Dempster's latest exhibition, a dark element has crept into the picture frame, with areas of buildings sitting in muted tones beneath passing grey clouds, or pinpointed by a single streetlight on a dark night.

The works have a pleasing dynamism as a result, lifting them above Dempster's attractive, yet often static, scenes.

The artist has also continued on his recent practice of placing a stylised bird centrally, flying across the walls and roofs of the suburbs. This too provides a dynamic element, and also links Dempster's work to that of several of his

New Zealand contemporaries in its contrasting of the regularity and rigidity of the settled land with the lyrical freedom of nature.

Peregrine Falcon, by Karen Baddock.

‘‘New Works’’, Karen Baddock (The Artist’s Room)

Unlike Dempster's work, for Karen Baddock, true-to-life birds are the centre of attention. Baddock's bird studies display an excellent ability to capture the spirit and the life in the eye of her subjects. These are not simply flat images of birds - they have life.

In oils such as Californian Quail and Peregrine Falcon, the artist has used a muted palette and removed any distracting background, focusing attention on the fine detail in the painting of individual features. A touch of humour flows through in the poses of the birds, most notable in images such as Silvereye and NZ Robin.

Two beautifully drawn graphite works complete this part of the exhibition. In one of these, a gloriously rendered bumblebee showcases the artist's skills.

A handful of still lifes are also presented. In these works, gnarled pears and apples sit atop wooden benches. The fruit have been rendered in a strong three-dimensional form by the use of shadow and reflection; these items feel solid and weighty, yet the essence of these works is the composition.

In each case three pieces of fruit are arrayed in a line with one slightly separated from the other two. This subtle asymmetry reduces the balance of the arrangement just enough to add interest to the tableaux.

Untitled, by Blue Black.

‘‘Move’’, Blue Black (Mint Gallery)

It's ironic, given the artist's name, but Blue Black has provided a splash of joyful colour to Mint. The artist's intriguing sculptural flowers provide the gallery with a dash of warmth and whimsy.

The artist's long-stemmed plants are created from a combination of two processes. The flower heads themselves are formed from real flowers; the natural blooms are dipped in clay slip before being fired.

The original flower burns away in this process, leaving only its clay ''mask'', which is glazed and fired again in the normal way.

These artificial blooms are then attached to stems and bases constructed from rusted found metalwork to produce plants which are outlandish, clearly artificial, yet vibrant and playful. The smaller tabletop flowers are fine works, but it is the giant 2m tall pieces which steal the show.

A second theme is found within the exhibition; several of the works are accompanied by round metal plates bearing simple slogan-like messages (''Time time time'', ''Move'', ''Fast fast fast'').

A further, more serene circular metal plate forms its own separate artwork, rising like a rusty sun over the gaudy garden. Created from a metal garden tabletop, which has been scraped and allowed to rust, this panel provides a serene still point within a churning sea of colour.