On March 21, Hawke’s Bay gallery Parlour Projects will present its first exhibition by an international artist, Maria Moyer. Titled Thisness, the exhibition will feature a selection of sculptures and paintings by the New York-based artist.

The works in Thisness comprise a variety of materials and treatments including sculptures in unglazed, coloured or oxide-treated porcelain, stoneware with terra sigilatta surfaces, as well as paintings. In appearance, Moyer’s works display the tension of opposites—forms found in industry and nature, themes of refinement and coarseness, and simultaneous fragility and strength—like the porcelain she uses in her work, which is in fact tougher than other clay bodies.

The use of clay as a sculptural material enables the artist to manipulate it as a personal act of expression and also as an exploration of process, colour, texture and form, as the clay manifests inherent mineral properties. At the same time, clay has memory and responds to and records human touch, providing unique material opportunities. Moyer states, “One reason I am not using glaze in this work is that I want the imperfections of my touch and random material events that occur in the kiln to be evident.” The uncertain and always varied results of kiln-fired clay alone carry the artist’s interest.

For her paintings, Moyer pours ‘viscous blends’ of gouache and other media on non-absorbent polypropylene paper, then manipulates the liquid over several days as it dries. The finished works are the result of the materials, atmospheric conditions and informed decisions by the artist.

While Moyer is deeply fascinated by the exquisite obscurities of nature, her work does not attempt to describe nature, rather it involves discovery in the explorative act of making: “The science-obsessed me focuses on the truth of things—the nature of nature. What makes a thing or an experience this and not that? As an artist I am not representing nature, I’m developing my own nature-inspired rules and allowing process and discovery to lead me. I make work that is less about describing life, rather, I want the work to have a life of its own.”

Please join us to celebrate the opening on Wednesday, March 21, from 5.30—7pm. The artist will be present. Thisness will continue through April 20.

For further information or images please contact Sophie by email (sophie@parlourprojects.com) or phone (021 450 279).