First Exhibition

The Creative New Zealand Curatorial Scholarship funded Grant Thompson to design the first exhibition for the Blumhardt gallery opening in February 2007. Grant brought together a wonderful collection of the best examples of New Zealand decorative art and design objects. A few examples from the exhibition are shown below.

Brooch
  • Artist: Lisa Walker
  • Title: Brooch
  • Date: 2005
  • Medium: Cardboard, plastic, spray paint, silver, lacquer, shell fossil, stone, and wood
  • Description: Brooch comprising of yellow crate-like box in a claw setting. The box is filled with an assemblage of found materials, including plastic leaves, plastic cactus flower, piece of wood and fossilised shell.
  • Credit Line: Collection of The Dowse
  • Storyline in the exhibition: The UNITEC Story
Trophy
  • Artist: Richard Marquis
  • Title: Trophy
  • Date: 1988
  • Medium: Blown glass, coloured glass, shards, enamel paint.
  • Description: Tall elongated painted and coloured glass form with apricot handles and light blue teapot at top - grey base upper half black - with applied shards.
  • Credit Line: Collection of The Dowse
  • Storyline in the exhibition: Sunbeam Glass
Craft Terrorist
  • Artist: Genevieve Packer
  • Title: Craft Terrorist
  • Date: 2004-2005
  • Medium: Leather, wool, denim, beading, embroidery threads and ready-made objects
  • Description: A black leather touring vest featuring an appliquéd gang patch on the back in white and pale purple. The patch features a flaming skull and scissors and the legend "craft terrorists". The out-fit features an utility belt equipped with cotton reels, knitting needles, craft knives, scissors, tape measure etc and a black knitted balaclava with blanket stitched details.
  • Credit Line: Collection of The Dowse
  • Storyline in the exhibition: Homecraft - Messing with Mother's Gifts
Bronze Bowl
  • Artist: John Parker
  • Title: Bronze Bowl
  • Date: 1979
  • Medium: Stoneware and glaze
  • Description: Circular bronze ceramic bowl on narrow base
  • Credit Line: Collection of The Dowse
  • Storyline in the exhibition: Personal Exchange and Intimate Gifts

The show was about the passing on of design and craft knowledge in New Zealand. The title of the exhibition expressed the key idea of knowledge as a gift transmitted through networks of exchange, a sense of a community of makers working in conversation with each other. The exhibition emphasised the connections between makers through the exhibition flow and the grouping of objects into ‘knowledge communities’, with networks rather than hierarchies being emphasised. If the visitor left the exhibition with only one impression it was hoped that impression was of knowledge as a gift that develops through sharing.