Line drawing with a twist and a message
Line drawing has been given new expression in a Nelson artist’s work that has been selected as a national awards finalist.
Maggy Johnston was the only Nelsonian chosen as one of the 72 finalists in the Parkin Drawing Prize from 463 entries nationwide.
Her work The Textures of the 800 metre Line comprises two long, flowing blankets of crochet and knitted 0.6mm fishing line.
‘‘The whole idea is that plastic is such a huge problem,’’ she said.
‘‘How the material behaved dictated the two pieces that I did, because I just let the material twist and turn on its own devices.’’
Johnston said she wanted the fishing line to carry the message, rather than drawing with a pencil.
‘‘I have entered [the competition] once before and didn’t get in. So to get in this year [is great], and knowing that I was pushing the boundaries of drawing, which I enjoy.’’
She said the 800 metres of fishing line ‘‘ended up looking very much like coral and seaweed, that goes white when it’s dead’’.
The national drawing competition, which has a major prize of $20,000, was launched by philanthropist and arts patron Chris Parkin six years ago.
Ten highly commended prizes worth $500 were also awarded.
The shortlisted works are being showcased at the Parkin Drawing Prize exhibition at the NZ Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington until August 19.
Entries were received from throughout
‘‘I just let the material twist and turn on its own devices.’’ Maggy Johnston
New Zealand and from artists living in Australia and Barcelona.
They included a range of drawings using charcoal, graphite and pencil, while other artists chose mediums such as metallic thread, chalk, recycled nylons, a plastic irrigation tube, a steel rod, and Johnston’s fishing line.
The winner of the Parkin Drawing Award this year was Jacqui Colley, for her work Long Echo. Her drawing was etched on aluminium, measuring 2.4 metres by 1.2m, and used acid and a combination of black oil pigment.