MIKE: One renowned glass practitioner and three artists who could be described — not unkindly — as zany, off-the-wall, or, at the very least, unusual, comprise the latest exhibition at Space. The former, in Gallery 1, is the doyen of Whanganui glass, David Traub, whose many works, especially platters, have delighted the eye for decades. In his statement he tells us that his creations are inspired by "painting, textiles and architecture", all of which can be discerned in their intricate simplicity, an apt oxymoron.
The "unusual" trio are Pat Cush, Mike Marsh and Mark Rayner, all of whom lay some claim to that epithet in their statements. Mark worked in ceramics and photography before remaking his name with latch hook rugs. Many of you will remember his picture of a somewhat coy Andrew Little! For this show he has hung a self-portrait, and, appealing to canine devotees, a lovable spaniel. Some of his ceramics are on display too, exemplifying his phrase "all things weird and wonderful". Indeed! Joan and I have a small bust of a bare-chested, red-haired figure, with the ugliest face imaginable! It always strikes me as a representation of the Titan Prometheus, who was punished by Zeus for giving mankind the secret of fire. We love it, but have to hide it away when our house-sitter is in residence! She finds it scary! It certainly suits the "warning" Mark has put out, that his works are "often abjectly humorous, alluring and addictive to collect".
As Mike Marsh says, he is probably best known for his "pop paintings", but has recently moved on to hand cut collage. Several of the latter dominate one wall of Gallery 2, along with a couple of his larger works.
Sharing Gallery 1 with David Traub are the abstract paintings of Pat Cush. Sunglasses are generally in order when viewing his works! Vivid splashes of colour, a mix of oils and acrylics, cover the surfaces of the small boards he uses. I wonder what would be the effect of a much bigger piece? When I once asked Pat what the titles of his work meant, he said they had no particular relevance. A word would pop into his head as he was painting, so there was his title! His frankness was refreshing. Sarah Williams told me, "Pat just likes to paint", which is revealed in his own words that his results are "only achievable with commitment, joy, patience and reflection".
JOAN: I enjoy going to the Embassy Cinema on the last Wednesday of the month when there is always a large audience for the film chosen by U3A. It is a special rendez-vous as so many of us who attend know each other and there is a warm buzz of "meetings and greetings" before we settle down to watch. Recently Mike and I differed in our reactions to an Icelandic film with subtitles, described as "a thriller-comedy-drama". Centred around a middle-aged woman, with a strong mental, physical and emotional personality, it tells of her crusade against the nearby aluminium smelter. The scenes have much visual impact, the characters too. I very much admired the acting and was intrigued by the interaction of this woman, Halla, her sister, her farmer friend and supporter and the citizens of her small town. Incongruous to me, was the unravelling of the story where the emphasis changed from activism to the difficulties of adopting a young Ukrainian girl as her personal life becomes more tangled.
Music plays a large part in the film. Halla is conductor of the local choir.The music they produce is in delicate contrast to the barren land she travels across in her attempts to shut down the smelter. The director also uses a trio of musicians who appear, without speaking, in virtually every scene, providing the equivalent of both a Greek Chorus and musical backing to the moods of the film.
