“A lot of my work is about honouring or elevating a humble, even utilitarian or banal object into a memorable object. I see it as a kind of amplification … I often call it a material ‘soap’. I like the idea of the sculpture as a sort of slow (stationary) drama. These works are part of a series that has evolved over the last few years. They are individually fabricated from my own designs from stainless steel plate, then hydroformed under pressure to generate the wrinkles and folds that are unique and particular to each piece. They are all subtly different and are not editions. They are then ground and polished to give the reflective finish and coloured with industrial paint finishes. I have described these works as ‘hyper-obvious’ or even ‘playing dumb’. I have been trying to achieve a ‘blankly staring back quality’ that belies their purpose and prompts an embracing of them on behalf of the viewer. Reflecting, flattering and enticing are the characteristics I am trying to imbue these works with. I am continually working on aspects of ‘process’ and method. I strive to design in an elegance to the process. I have often thought of the act of making a work as a slow audience-less performance. I have a strong urge to make beautiful objects and it seems people tend to measure themselves against beauty.” David McCracken
'Blake', 2017, stainless steel, industrial coating, 210 x 50 x 50 cm
’Harlon', 2017, stainless steel, industrial coating, 210 x 50 x 50 cm
‘Poppy', stainless steel, industrial coating, 120 x 40 x 40 cm
‘Tahlia’, stainless steel, industrial coating, diameter 110 cm
‘Tully’, 2017, stainless steel, industrial coating, 90 x 45 x 45 cm
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2017 The Monocque Plot, DOMINIK MERSCH GALLERY, Sydney 2016 Plain View,Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland 2014 Emotionally unsaturated artworks, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland 2012 Portraits of mass and transmission, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland 2010 New works, Gow Langsford Gallery, Auckland 2005 Romantic portraits of raw materials, McPherson Gallery, Auckland 2001 H2O2, McPherson gallery, Auckland 2000 Fabrications, McPherson gallery, Auckland
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2017 Headland Sculpture on the Gulf 2016 SCAPE Public Art Season NZ Sculpture OnShore 2015 19th Annual Sculpture by the Sea, Sydney 2014 Spring, Gow Langsford Gallery Bidhauen, Dominik Mersch Gallery, Sydney Australia Sculpture onshore, Auckland Wallace art awards 2013 Sculpture by the sea, Bondi Australia Headland sculpture on the gulf Electric Glass – art in neon, Pah homestead 2009/2010 Stoneleigh sculpture in the gardens, Auckland botanical gardens
2009 Eye for sculpture, Manukau festival of the arts, Auckland 2008 Shapeshifter Dowse Museum, Lower Hutt, Wellington Sculpture on the shore, Auckland 2007 Sculpture in the country, Wairarapa NZ Sculpture on the gulf, Waiheke Island, Auckland 2006 Sculpture in the gardens, Wairarapa NZ Wallace art awards Shapeshifter, Dowse Museum, Lower Hutt, Wellington 2005 Sculpture on the gulf, Waiheke Island. Auckland 2004 Wallace art awards, Auckland 2003 Shapeshifter, Dowse Museum, Lower Hutt, Wellington Sculpture on the gulf, Waiheke Island, Auckland 2001 Wallace art awards, Auckland
AWARDS
2014 Vermont Award Wallace Art Awards 2013 Parsons & Brinckerhoff Award for Excellence in Engineering 2013 Wallace Arts Trust NZ Sculpture Award 2008 Harkness Henry Sculpture Award 2005 Telecom People's Choice Award, Sculpture on the Gulf
www.dominikmerschgallery.com