Five artists, including two from Otago, travelled to Stewart Island to experience island life and gain new inspiration. Rebecca Fox talks to those involved in "47deg South Rakiura".
The same experiences can produce wildly different outcomes, as a group of New Zealand artists discovered recently.
Five artists, including Inge Doesburg and Jenna Packer from Dunedin, were invited by Solander Gallery in Wellington to take part in a four-day artist residency on Stewart Island.
Solander Gallery director Vincent Drane said the project came about after an offer of accommodation from a Stewart Island home owner impressed by the outcomes from the gallery’s earlier Somme Island residency.
With enthusiastic help from the Stewart Island community, a four-day programme was developed to showcase all the island’s glories.
"It was a whirlwind for the artists, as they were exposed to a lot of different facets of the island."
The artists were selected for their printmaking experience, their ability to see a project through and their ability to work and socialise together.
What was most surprising about the experience was that while the artists had exactly the same experiences, they all brought a completely different interpretation to the artwork they produced afterwards.
"Each artist found something different that piqued their interest."
After the trip, the artists had to produce editioned work of a standard size that could tour.
One box set of works was gifted back to the Stewart Island community as thanks for its support while the other was touring the country.
"Hopefully the islanders will see the importance of the collection into the future."
For Doesburg the trip to Stewart Island was a "treat", especially after completing the Somme Island residency with Solander before.
"I love the outdoors; it’s a big part of their life [Solander directors] and mine."
Her love of the outdoors came from a trip to Fiordland many years ago and grew from there, the more remote and historic the better.
While she knew Packer, she did not know the other participants, John Pusateri and Jacqueline Aust, from Auckland, or Jacqui Colley, from Wellington.
"It was a good group. We all looked at things in different ways. It’s what art does I suppose, open the viewfinder."
It was also good to share the experience with fellow artists and talk about things as basic as supplies or techniques.
"We all know what it’s like, we don’t have to explain. It’s neat to watch people do things their way and not feel weird.
"While she enjoyed the entire trip, it was the return journey that inspired her work and the poetry of German-language poet Rainer Maria Rilke, whose words she uses in German as they do not translate well.
"It was a very rough crossing on the ferry, very exciting."
For Packer, the experience was great once she got over her anxiety about seasickness and her preconception of the island being dark and moody.
"We were so lucky we had four days straight of sun and sparkling turquoise water."
She also enjoyed the experience of working and travelling with other artists.
While attracted by the wild physical geography of the island, it was the idea of an island community that really fascinated her.
"I was stunned by how beautiful the landscape was. The highlight was the pub quiz night; these young burly fishermen belly dancing to a gypsy band from Prague."
Another highlight was taking a printmaking workshop at the school and watching a little boy, who was a bit of a handful, become completely absorbed in his task of creating a punga tree.
"My heart went out to him. It was a real jolt. That is why we do it, that being taken out of ourselves to another place, completely unaware of the world around us.
"It was an amazingly precious thing. He now knows he can access that other place."
The experience had a lasting impact and features in her work for the show.
"I came away thankful that I had seen that."
Returning from the island, Packer had to put down her paintbrushes and return to the printmaking she did earlier in her career.
"It was a challenge. I did one plate three times. It was frustrating."
But creating the image of the boy with the ponga was worth it, she said.
"It was a nice insight."
To see
"47deg South Rakiura" is at the Inge Doesberg Gallery until August 27.
