Past Exhibitions

Wunder​kammer

2 Dec 2017 - 21 Feb 2018

curator's introduction

 
 Lisa Wilkie provides an introduction to Wunderkammer. Video production: Ross Wilson.
 

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Artists

Exhibition Works

Towards Port William
Michael Hight Towards Port William (2016)
Ripia
Michael Hight Ripia (2013)
Flogging (22340)
Lisa Reihana Flogging (22340) (2017)
Sex Trade / Gift for Banks / Dancing Lovers / Sextant Lesson (18550 / 19205)
Lisa Reihana Sex Trade / Gift for Banks / Dancing Lovers / Sextant Lesson (18550 / 19205) (2017)
Joseph Banks (In Pursuit of Venus)
Lisa Reihana Joseph Banks (In Pursuit of Venus) (2016)
Arranged Diatoms - Exhibition Mount by J D Moller, ca 1880
Wayne Barrar Arranged Diatoms - Exhibition Mount by J D Moller, ca 1880 (2014)
High Water, Edge of Lake Wairarapa 2015
Wayne Barrar High Water, Edge of Lake Wairarapa 2015 (printed 2015)
Mangatini Falls at Ngakawau Gorge 2013
Wayne Barrar Mangatini Falls at Ngakawau Gorge 2013 (printed 2014)
Whiwhi Part I (Past)
Te Rongo Kirkwood Whiwhi Part I (Past) (2016)
Dreams Never End
Ben Pearce Dreams Never End (2016)
Pinned 2
Ben Pearce Pinned 2 (2016)
The Sweeter the Pain
Ben Pearce The Sweeter the Pain (2016)
You Live Your Life Like a Shadow
Ben Pearce You Live Your Life Like a Shadow (2016)
We're All Lost Souls
Ben Pearce We're All Lost Souls (2016)
Calls are Answered Daily
Ben Pearce Calls are Answered Daily (2016)
Our World II
Ben Pearce Our World II (2017)
Rodent with Dancer
Paul Dibble Rodent with Dancer (2009)
Talking About Climate Change
Nigel Brown Talking About Climate Change (2017)
National Energy
Nigel Brown National Energy (2017)
The Sea Also Rises
Nigel Brown The Sea Also Rises (2017)
Pack of Five (6)
W D Hammond Pack of Five (6) (1999)
Danske Tiki
Dick Frizzell Danske Tiki (2005)
Shielded Histories #14
Robert Ellis Shielded Histories #14 (2007)
Woman with Turban
Terry Stringer Woman with Turban (2015)
Man Made Man
Terry Stringer Man Made Man (2017)
An Allegory of Time (Maquette)
Terry Stringer An Allegory of Time (Maquette) (2017)
Theatre of Grooming
Terry Stringer Theatre of Grooming (2017)
Picasso Model
Terry Stringer Picasso Model (2015)
Rangimārie
Chris Charteris Rangimārie (2016)
Rangimārie
Chris Charteris Rangimārie (2015)
Navigation
Chris Charteris Navigation (2015)
Paratu Cross
Chris Charteris Paratu Cross (2015)
Atawhaitanga
Chris Charteris Atawhaitanga (2010)
Point
Shane Cotton Point (1992)
Cervine Shroud
Cat Auburn Cervine Shroud (2015)
Ovine Shroud
Cat Auburn Ovine Shroud (2015)
William Nees
A.H. O'Keefe William Nees (1912)
Tama Samoa; Samoan Man
Yuki Kihara Tama Samoa; Samoan Man (2005)
Teine Samoa; Samoan Woman
Yuki Kihara Teine Samoa; Samoan Woman (2005)
Maui Descending a Staircase II (after Duchamp)
Yuki Kihara Maui Descending a Staircase II (after Duchamp) (2015)
Flower Idol
Richard Orjis Flower Idol (2006)
Sisters of the Moon
Richard Orjis Sisters of the Moon (2008)
Coprinus Picaceus
Fiona Pardington Coprinus Picaceus (2011)
Notornis Mantelli: Owen
John Gould Notornis Mantelli: Owen (1869)
Magpie (Tropical Invasion II)
Hannah Kidd Magpie (Tropical Invasion II) (2017)
Thing I
Hannah Kidd Thing I (2017/8)
Open Plains
Hannah Kidd Open Plains (2016)
Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus Gambensis)
Hannah Kidd Spur-winged Goose (Plectropterus Gambensis) (2015)
Gold Series #6
Bridie Henderson Gold Series #6 (2017)
Comb (Black)
Lonnie Hutchinson Comb (Black) (2009)
Reflections - Buoys
Neil Dawson Reflections - Buoys (2017)
Reflections - Swifts
Neil Dawson Reflections - Swifts (2017)
Owlmatian
Emily Valentine Owlmatian (2015)
Pomerooster
Emily Valentine Pomerooster (2013)
Good Sports #2
Joanna Braithwaite Good Sports #2 (2010)
Reticello Canoe Paddle [MH9]
Luke Jacomb Reticello Canoe Paddle [MH9] (2008)
Cube (Black / Green)
John Edgar Cube (Black / Green) (2008)
Function
John Edgar Function (2012)
Banded Stone [JE34]
John Edgar Banded Stone [JE34] (2011)
Cube (Yellow Cross)
John Edgar Cube (Yellow Cross) (2016)
Fern Vase #5 (Capense - Bronze / Green)
Ann Robinson Fern Vase #5 (Capense - Bronze / Green) (2014)
Small Twisted Flax Pods (Semillon)
Ann Robinson Small Twisted Flax Pods (Semillon) (2016)
Love You, Love You More
Reuben Paterson Love You, Love You More (2017)
Laocoön II
Reuben Paterson Laocoön II (2013)
Decoy 1
Natalie Guy Decoy 1 (2015)
Blind Form Umber #2
Natalie Guy Blind Form Umber #2 (2015)
Soe #6
Natalie Guy Soe #6 (2017)
For Verne
Ben Pearce For Verne (2017)
Teeth Garland
Emily Siddell Teeth Garland (2015)
Clinch V - Iteration IV
Caroline Earley Clinch V - Iteration IV (2017)
Rockets
Wendy Fairclough Rockets (2012)
Reservoir Series  II (10)
Emily Siddell Reservoir Series II (10) (2004)
Botanical Series - Blue
Garry Nash Botanical Series - Blue (2002)
Plain Song: For Midnight
J S Parker Plain Song: For Midnight (2007)
Gospel of Mudea I
Andy Leleisi'uao Gospel of Mudea I (2012)
Triffid
Hannah Beehre Triffid (2016)
Kowhai - Coromandel Gold #1
Layla Walter Kowhai - Coromandel Gold #1 (2015)
Woven Rimmed Vase #12
Layla Walter Woven Rimmed Vase #12 (2015)
Pohutukawa Leaf No. 85
Christine Cathie Pohutukawa Leaf No. 85 (2013)
Pohutukawa Leaf No. 27
Christine Cathie Pohutukawa Leaf No. 27 (2012)
A view of a perforated rock in Tolaga Bay in NZ (Pl. 17)
John Hawkesworth A view of a perforated rock in Tolaga Bay in NZ (Pl. 17) (c. 1773)
Afternoon Delight
Aiko Robinson Afternoon Delight (2017)
Onabe
Aiko Robinson Onabe (2017)
Light My Fire #11
Lonnie Hutchinson Light My Fire #11 (2016)
Handiwork 2
Jenna Packer Handiwork 2 (2015)
Covenant
Jenna Packer Covenant (2014)
Timber Camp III
Jenna Packer Timber Camp III (2017)
Stumps I
Mike Petre Stumps I (2009)
Gold Grooved Vessel [17-16]
John Parker Gold Grooved Vessel [17-16] (2017)
Gold Grooved Orb [16-9]
John Parker Gold Grooved Orb [16-9] (2016)
Volcanic Orb [17-61]
John Parker Volcanic Orb [17-61] (2017)
Volcanic Bowl [17-70]
John Parker Volcanic Bowl [17-70] (2017)
Silas
Charlotte Handy Silas (2015)
Hints for the Incomplete Traveller - vi
Garry Currin Hints for the Incomplete Traveller - vi (2013/14)
Crucified Figure and Figures in Landscape
Jeffrey Harris Crucified Figure and Figures in Landscape (1977)
Science
Peter James Smith Science (2012)
The Stillness of the Chinese Jar III
Peter James Smith The Stillness of the Chinese Jar III (2007)
Large Black Vase
Paul Maseyk Large Black Vase (2017)
Snapshot 4
Paul Maseyk Snapshot 4 (2011)
Helix [1098]
Alice Rose Helix [1098] (2017)
Zip [21924]
Mark Mitchell Zip [21924] (2017)
Patinated Bronze Crucible [21466]
Paul Mason Patinated Bronze Crucible [21466] (2017)
Leadhead 9
Jeff Thomson Leadhead 9
Leadhead 17
Jeff Thomson Leadhead 17
Patience
Katherine Smyth Patience (2014)
Turner
Katherine Smyth Turner (2014)
Jarrod
Katherine Smyth Jarrod (2015)
Bill
Katherine Smyth Bill (2016)
Approximation
Peter Trevelyan Approximation (2015)
Projection #3
Peter Trevelyan Projection #3 (2017)
World Business Systems
Peter Trevelyan World Business Systems (2016)
Autobahn
Harry Watson Autobahn (2013)
I am Picasso's Evil Reincarnation
Harry Watson I am Picasso's Evil Reincarnation (2015)
My Ancestors, They Were Eaten (Study)
Michael Shepherd My Ancestors, They Were Eaten (Study) (2010)
A Small Bronze Object is Found in the Coromandel (Study)
Michael Shepherd A Small Bronze Object is Found in the Coromandel (Study) (2010)
Landscape
John Weeks Landscape
Burns Statue
Rudolph Gopas Burns Statue (1952)

Exhibition Text

Inscriptions or Titles of the Most Ample Theater That Houses Exemplary Objects and Exceptional Images of the Entire World, So That One Could Also Rightly Call It a: Repository of artificial and marvelous things, and of every rare treasure, precious object, construction, and picture. (1)
Samuel Quiccheberg, 1565

Marvels from the worlds of art, natural curiosities, and ethnographic ‘exotica’ could all be found in the Wunderkammern or cabinets of curiosities established by members of the aristocracy, (mostly) gentlemen scientists, and wealthy merchants from the mid-sixteenth century onwards. In 1587 Gabriel Kaltemarckt advised Christian I of Saxony of three indispensable categories of item needed for a Kunstkammer: firstly sculptures and paintings; secondly "curious items from home or abroad"; and thirdly "antlers, horns, claws, feathers and other things belonging to strange and curious animals.” (2)

These collections of items were regarded as a microcosm of the known (and unknown) world and became popular during Europe’s age of expansion, which saw far-off lands ‘discovered’ and science challenge religion’s iron grip on the production of knowledge. They also projected a sense of the worldliness and status of their owners and as seen in the the quotes from Quiccheberg and Kaltemarckt, promoted a world that was able to be assessed, measured, and categorised.

Drawn from the wealth of artworks in the Milford Galleries Dunedin stockroom, Wunderkammer references one of the original intentions of collectors – to bring together a variety of items in order to elicit wonder and amazement – but also considers critically (Western) society’s drive to categorise and regulate the world around it and underlying narratives of the exploitation of human cultures and the natural environment. It considers what is collected, by whom, and for what purpose. What narratives lie hidden beneath the ‘marvellous things’ on display and whose voices do they recall?
 
1. Full title of the Inscriptiones, a guide to collecting and classification, published in 1565 by Samuel Quiccheberg, Flemish librarian for the Fuggers, an eminent family of bankers and avid collectors, and later of Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria. http://letteraturaartistica.blogspot.co.nz/2015/11/quiccheberg.html
2. http://gutenberg.us/articles/eng/Kunstkammer