Fascinating creatures on show at Sarjeant Gallery

Elizabeth Thomson with one of her sculptures that will make up part of the Sarjeant Gallery's Creature exhibition. Photo/Bevan Conley

Elizabeth Thomson's moths look as delicate and capable of flight as any living lepidopteran but these ones are made of bronze.

The Wellington-based artist has brought 160 of her individually cast moths to become part of the Creature exhibition showing at the Sarjeant's objects based gallery upstairs at the Whanganui i-Site on Taupo Quay.

"I made 500 of them for the first exhibition at the Dowse Art Museum in 2014," says Thomson.

"They are first cast in silicon wax before I cast them in bronze."

The moths are true representations of New Zealand species and some are modelled on species found in the Kermadec Islands where Thomson stayed as an artist-in residence in 2011.

Like real moths, the white, powdery coating on the wings must be handled with care.

"I have to wear gloves when I handle them or it leaves finger marks in the paint," says the artist.

The coating is prime flashe acrylic applied with aqueous adhesive and each small sculpture has a set of tiny antennae constructed with paper and nylon flocked fibre.

Photo Bevan Conley

Exhibition curator Greg Donson said the installation has been scaled down to fit the more intimate space of the objects gallery.

"These delicate creatures are accompanied in the gallery by slightly more surreal companions, including cast glass gnomes by former Tylee Cottage artist-in-residence Gregor Kregar."

Mr Donson said the gnomes are not the "garden ornament, Disney cartoon" types.

"Originating from medieval Europe, gnomes were closely associated with the science of alchemy and were guardians of minerals and metals.

"Kregar's gnomes occupy the locked glass cabinets of the gallery, precious and illuminated."

Moths and gnomes are accompanied by the works of Barry Brickell, John Lawrence and current artist-in-residence at Tylee Cottage, Kate Fitzharris.

Creature will be open for viewing at 31 Taupo Quay until July 15.