BLUE OYSTER GRADUATE CURATOR PROPOSAL
‘HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS’
Blue Oyster Art Project Space, Dunedin
Curated by Briar Holt
Concept
In some way or another, everyone experiences some form of domesticity in their lives. Especially in New Zealand, most of us are lucky enough to have a place that we call home. The objects we fill our homes with, as well as the structure of the home itself, reflect who we are as a nation and how the home is a central aspect of our lives.
“Home Is Where The Heart Is” showcases the seemingly perfect aspects of domestic life through art, with the use of traditionally domestic art forms such as ceramics and textile-based form. On the other side, the exhibition examines a dystopian view of domestic environments – an anarchic view of domestic societies, with these same art forms, looking to the dystopian society portrayed in Alfonso Cuarón’s 2006 film ‘Children of Men’ and the importance placed upon art despite the anarchic world surrounding it.
Essentially, the exhibition aims to magnify the two extremes of domestic life – the perfection that most aspire to, juxtaposed with everything that is wrong with the world in terms of domestic life.
The exhibition comments on everyday domestic life and the differing ways this can be portrayed – an idealised versus a dystopian view. It also addresses the contentious place of domestic craft in art. Although not focused on a specifically feminist view, this looks back to exhibitions of the seventies such as the controversial ‘Womanhouse’ exhibition which aimed to challenge the prescribed ideas of what art consisted of, by drawing on alternative forms of art – especially Miriam Schapiro’s textile references with her fabric collage ‘femmages’.
The home and the way we relate to it helps to construct our identity. This exhibition shows the construction of various aspects of domestic life, both positively and negatively.
Aims
To showcase emerging New Zealand artists who have recently graduated from the Dunedin School of Art, and to encourage them to continue their practice post-graduation.
To exhibit art that relates to a wide range of New Zealanders in terms of their domestic lives.
To promote the exhibition of traditionally craft-based forms of art.
