Falling apart with style

By LINDA HERRICK

This model aircraft is unlikely to become the official mascot for the Air New Zealand-Qantas alliance, if it goes ahead. Aside from the unwelcome merger of the kiwi and the kangaroo on the tail, the plane lacks any rear wheels and alarmingly, has only part of an engine under one wing and none at all beneath the other. The title of Whangarei sculptor Malcolm Ford's exhibition at Masterworks Gallery says it all: Things Fall Apart.

It is typical of Ford's whimsical style, a combination of his fascination with technology, a keen sense of humour and, as he puts it, an over-ripe imagination. So, for the Masterworks show, the 73-year-old former teacher and engineer has produced 10 aluminium and wooden pieces, including a sinking shelled naval vessel called HMS Excalibur, a version of one of French inventor Gabriel Voisin's revolutionary cars, an aircraft carrier with a huge fly landing on it, a yacht with a Heath Robinson-style windspinner, and a battered 60s "Ameri-Car".

Each piece is accompanied by amusing notes by the artist's "alter ego", Professor Percy Pimpill, a sardonic presence Ford says he has been trying to shake off for years.

"I decided to introduce this guy Percy and put some of the blame on him, but my wife says she doesn't want to hear from him again."

Although it's his first solo exhibition for six years, Ford has been kept busy with one-off commissions, including a sculpture for the Hewlett Packard Ports of Auckland building. Another of his large-scale ships sold recently for $9000.

Ford has been exhibiting - initially as a painter - since the 60s. His large oil of the HMS Bismarck under attack was shown at the Rowley Gallery in London in 1962, followed by a year in a touring exhibition through Britain. The Commonwealth Aircrew Reunion Conference in Winnipeg in 1970 used his three-panel scene of an air battle over Britain during World War II as a backdrop; conference guests included the war hero Douglas Bader and actor Richard Burton.

Ford lived on Canada's west coast Salt Spring Island for some years during the 1970s before returning to New Zealand, where he featured on the TVNZ art show Kaleidoscope in 1987. Although his work has always been influenced by his interest in technology, particularly naval history and engineering, "it's a love-hate relationship".

"I can see if it's used the wrong way, the damage it can do. I'm fascinated by the steam era and I sort of wish we'd stopped there. It seemed much more benign. But steam is history now so I look at more modern machinery. I understand the basic engineering of machines like the Stealth aircraft but they are pretty frightening. Everything is hidden."

Ford explains that while many people initially view his works as toys or models, they are not words he would use.

"Don't call them models. It's quite obvious why people do call them that but they are sculptures. They are based on objects which in real life are functional; the function is right because the form is right and that's what I try to capture - and then stretch it a bit. The ideas are in my head and it's just a matter of expressing it with my hands."

Ford's son Desmond, who is an architect, has created a large copper sculpture which has been installed in art patron James Wallace's garden. Ford is visibly proud when he displays photos of his son's work, then laughs as he recalls, "Desmond, who's getting into his 50s, says he's an emerging artist. Well, I must be the submerging artist - I'm 73 and not too long to go, so if I've got the ideas I'd better hurry up."

* Things Fall Apart: The Enginuity of Malcolm Ford, Masterworks Gallery, Viaduct, until February 5.