The series that I developed for HandShake 7 revolved around concepts that has long interested me.That of “lexical semantics,” “the analysis of word meanings and relations between them” (Oxford Dictionary) and the use of typefaces for communicating ideas and evoking feeling.For the series “Yes, No, Maybe” I created a typeface in which each letter crashed… Continue reading Completion…
Category: Nik Hanton
Masterclasses- further reflections
As I look back on the experience, I further appreciate that there is nothing quite like hearing how others approach their work to inspire and make you question your own approach to your own work. Because of the way the masterclasses were structured, you had access to this information and could see how others in… Continue reading Masterclasses- further reflections
Growth
I landed on the path that I wanted to take for the Handshake Masterclass (HS7) quite early in the process, thanks to the tasks that Estella set. While I had an initial vision of the direction I wanted to go in, having the fresh eyes of Estella and the team of other makers meant… Continue reading Growth
Repurposing
The magic of taking the everyday and transforming it into something beautiful is perhaps no clearer than with the stunning creations of the Dassanech tribe of southern Ethiopia. From bottle tops, to watches, to sim cards, the ingenuity is stunning. They mix their traditional ethnic jewellery with new items that may be seen as “rubbish”… Continue reading Repurposing
Ancient materials
There is sand on the floor, Sand in my hair, Under my finger-nails, Sand everywhere. Following the making of my pieces for Te Uru Contemporary Gallery, I’m still cleaning up sand from my studio. I suspect I will be for some time. Made through the erosion of rock through wind and water, sand is a… Continue reading Ancient materials
BELONGING&S E P A R A T E N E S S…
In my final work as part of Handshake 5 at Te Uru Contemporary Gallery (Auckland), it feels appropriate that I refer to: belonging and s e p a r a t e n e s s. Handshake has offered me the opportunity to be part of something *much* bigger than myself. I’ve been included in… Continue reading BELONGING&S E P A R A T E N E S S…
Te Uru
When looking at creating work for the Te Uru space I researched the meaning of “Uru”. According to https://maoridictionary.co.nz/ the meaning of “Uru” is as follows: “uru 1. (verb) (-a,-hina) to enter, go in. […] 2. (verb) (-a,-hina) to enlist, enrol, join, be included” The idea of both entering (as we’re responding to the space of the gallery) and to be… Continue reading Te Uru
Sand
I’ve been spending an increasing number of hours with sand and all of the pieces I’ve made for the work for the Te Uru space reflect this. It’s incredible how each beach has a different look and feel in both the landscape and the sand. From sand that’s almost white, those which are brown, to… Continue reading Sand
Bringing the outside in
When making work in response to the Te Uru space I thought about the bringing of the outside, in. I looked at the gallery rooms and saw that from one of the spaces there’s a window from which you have a view of trees and the sea. It was this that informed my material usage.… Continue reading Bringing the outside in
Stendhal Syndrome
I have a fascination for psychological terminology- this has most recently been seen in my enthusiasm in response to the Placebo and Nocebo Effects, which I’ve based two bodies of work on. When I heard of the classification of Stendhal Syndrome I was excited. Stendhal Syndrome is: “A psychosomatic response—tachycardia, vertigo, fainting, confusion and even hallucinations—when the ‘victim’ is exposed to particularly beautiful, or large amounts of art in a single place e.g., Florence (Italy), which has a high concentration of classic works; the response can also occur when a person’s overwhelmed by breathtaking natural beauty.” (https://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Stendhal+syndrome) When I was… Continue reading Stendhal Syndrome