Mesh, 2016
perforated steel, aluminium steel mesh and paint
8,000 x 2,600 x 1,600 mm (variable)
One of my all time favourite New Zealand paintings is Pohutukawa Rina, 1930 by Evelyn Page. Filtered sunlight through pohutukawa leaves falls upon two female nudes creating a pattern that camouflages and blends their bodies with that of the surrounding foreshore. The idea of Mesh is to create an experience of transformation, of patterns of light and shadow. Using perforated sheets of steel and aluminium and a variety of meshes, the sculpture spans a curved section of the walking track, leaving no option but to enter. Once inside, the repetitive punched and cut out holes, layered and singular, create a magical environment of dappled light and, looking outward, moire patterned vistas of the surrounding Matiatia environment. Mesh will hopefully bring a moment of respite from the heat of the day, a shelter of speckled shade not unlike the pohutukawa shadows along the walkway.
– Jeff Thomson
