Work of female artists, writers and designers cherished and celebrated

Some are very well known, others almost forgotten. But a group continues to ensure their work as artists and writers as part of the Spiral Collective are cherished and celebrated. Spiral Collective, an artist-led charity, was started by poet Heather McPherson (1942-2017) in 1975 with a women’s art journal, Spiral 1, including poetry, prose and graphics. Over the following years more journals were printed and in 1977, artist Joanna Margaret Paul suggested making exhibition “A Season’s Diaries” and from there members founded the Women’s Gallery (1980-1984) in Wellington, a display space for the work of women only, who felt mainstream art spaces at the time were not accessible. © Allied MediaPosters from the Women’s Gallery in the Spiral Collectives Exhibition. Photo: Linda Robertson Spiral became a floating imprint in the 1980s, publishing McPherson’s Figurehead of a Face in 1982, The House of the Talking Cat by J. C. Sturm in 1983 and The Bone People by Keri Hulme in 1984. As part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, the collective is exhibiting the works and images of 19 past members who lived sometime between 1929 and 2024: (in birth date order) Jacquie Sturm, Renée, Arapera Blank, Gladys Gurney (Saj), Frances Cherry, Marilynn Webb, Heather McPherson, Keri Kaa, Rosemary Johnson, Pauline Neale, Miriama Evans, Joanna Margaret Paul, Juanita Ketchel, Irihapeti Ramsden, Keri Hulme, Sharon Alston, Hilary Baxter, Allie Eagle and Lynne Ciochetto. Many of the members have Dunedin connections, lived or studied in the city for a time, such as Paul, Webb, Sturm and Baxter. “Spiral cherishes them all and celebrates them, in their own words wherever possible; and in the words of others who knew and loved them,’’ curator and Spiral trustee and researcher Joanna Osborne says. suppliedSpiral Collective cover and poster Their work is also represented in Spiral’s anniversary publications Spiral 8: Setting the [work] table and Some Stories, which also collates a lot of the history of the collective. “Through their creative and often courageous public lives and work, they all helped ‘set the work table’ for those who came after them. Their public presence, their voices and their actions made a lasting contribution to Spiral.’’ The wide-ranging group had different views on many issues of the day, such as feminism, but they were very encouraging of each other’s work and aimed to respect the integrity of each other’s work, Osborne says. Osborne worked with fellow trustee Marian Evans, a co-founder of the Women’s Gallery, to pull together all the different strands to create a series of exhibitions. “I really appreciated the opportunity to work with her and to learn from her as well.’’ The collective was first approached to show at the Charlotte Museum in Auckland late last year and then at St Gerard’s Monastery in Wellington. Osborne designed an installation incorporating not only the stories in Spiral 8 but also the collective’s open research material and archives at the Alexander Turnbull Library. suppliedSpiral 8. Photo: Supplied She was able to find many reproductions as well as some original documents and works. “I worked with very large wall spaces and hung the work in a big map, interconnecting the 19 figures we’ve focussed on in the publications.’’ However, the space in Dunedin Libraries’ Reed Gallery meant a re-think, requiring the material to be displayed to fit the 22-case exhibition space. “In this version, Marian and I have also edited some of the earlier material and introduced new content.’’ © Allied MediaAn example of the cases dedicated to passed members, this one is for Juanita Ketchel (1946 — 2012) in the Spiral Collectives Exhibition. Photo: Linda Robertson Working closely with library staff, she has been able adapt the material so each person has an individual case including a biography, their connection to Spiral and the other contributions they have made. “Then we include ephemera or photographs, Spiral content, and some of the work that they did independently. Just to highlight sort of their core practices.” Much of that material has been gifted to Spiral by family, friends and estates. Relationships are highlighted, with sisters Blank and Kaa’s cases sitting next to each other as well as mother and daughter Sturm and Baxter. One of the behind the scenes members was Ciochettoco (1950–2024), a Massey University Institute of Communication Design associate professor. She was a designer and proof-reader who helped with the production of some of the publications, including Spiral 3 and 4. “Then she came back again to help with the Bone People and then the Women’s Picture Book and then a lot later worked on This Joyous Chaotic Place by Heather McPherson.’’ Then there was Gurney, who was involved in the early days, her home being used for members to go and paste up Spiral journals. “She was a really community-focussed woman.’’ Osborne has found it to be personally rewarding to learn about the different artists, their work and discover their inter-connectedness. “You can sort of draw threads across the whole space.’’ One of the rewarding aspects of the exhibition had been to include a small quote from each woman, she said. “Something we wanted to highlight was letting the women speak for themselves in their own voices. That’s something that is clear in Spiral 8, that I’ve tried to include as a thread through this show as well.’’ To find the quotes, Osborne read a lot of the women’s work in Spiral publications and in their other work. “I selected something that just spoke to me, and that represented their practice. And that was trying to respect the integrity of their voice.” Osborne has also drawn on the library’s heritage collection for books published by members. “So to be able to include them as well is a big change.’’ Many of the membership moved in and out of the collective over time depending on the projects. “They were really diverse and the bridging of the literary and artistic spheres has been really lovely.’’ © Allied MediaA quilt by Tiffany Thornley, “From the scraps of the patriarchy I made myself anew” (2016) . Courtesy of the artist. Photo: Linda Robertson She has also hung a series of posters from the Women’s Gallery in the exhibition to highlight that connection as well as a quilt by artist and early Spiral member Tiffany Thornley From the scraps of the patriarchy I made myself anew (2016) that references a work McPherson made for the Women’s Environment at the 1977 Women’s Convention at the Canterbury Society of Arts. Today, members of Spiral are determined to carry on the work of those gone before, to educate and support the practice and legacies of creative work by women and gender diverse people in New Zealand. Its current focus is developing The Bone People into a graphic novel, as a basis for animation. “Our kaupapa is to safeguard and uphold the mana of this literary taonga in adaptations Keri would love, made by a new generation and for new generations.” To see: Spiral Collectives Exhibition, Reed Gallery, City Library, until October 18.