Let’s Play 23 November – 21 December 2024
Allison, Kate Fitzharris, Stevei Houkāmau, Luke Jacomb, David Murray, Aaron Scythe, Frances Stachl, Raewyn Walsh, and Lisa West.
Fran Allison
1. ‘a twist, two hinges and a spring’ 2024
Silver, tin, wood, card; 600 x 600 x 110mm earrings can be ordered
$4000
$400 pair Playing with everyday earring ideas....... to wear when you don’t want to bother with backs.
35 ideas
4 finalised ideas in recycled cedar boxes a board a ‘drawing board’
Steven Johnson on creative play: ‘Its important to create spaces where ideas can mingle and swap and create new ideas. Every good idea is built on other good ideas.’
‘a twist, two hinges and a spring’ 2024 – tab 1 , a hinge
$400 to order
Fran Allison
‘a twist, two hinges and a spring’ 2024 –‘a twist’
$400 to order Earrings, silver; L13 x W14 x D10mm
‘a twist, two hinges and a spring’ 2024 – tab 2, a hinge
$400 to order
‘a twist, two hinges and a spring’ 2024 –‘ a spring’
$400 to order
Kate Fitzharris
2. Under the bambushes, 2024
This bottle figure has their hands out, inviting us to join them in a clapping game. I remember Under the bam bushes as being a favourite from my childhood. I remember the alluring rhythm and connection with peers while playing these games, How fast can we go? And the glorious chaos and giggles of getting out of sync!
The lyrics as I remember them below.
I’m not sure I considered what bam bushes actually were - just went along with the words. And as for hitting the teacher on the head with a baseball bat - gees!
Under the bam bushes
Under the sea
Boom boom boom
True love for you my darling
True love for me
Boom boom boom
12 and 12 make 24
Kick the teacher out the door
If he says don't do that Hit him on the head with a baseball bat
Teacher teacher I declare I can see your underwear Is it black? Is it white?
Oh my gosh it's dynamite!
Kate Fitzharris
Arms out is quite a vulnerable position, open to anything. The fragility of the ceramic hoops, and the tension with imagining/wanting to throw them onto the arms.
As part of a larger exploration with these vessel figures, I am considering how we imbue objects with human traits. The long history of ‘dolls’ and how we practise being a person in the world with these miniature human forms.
Luke Jacomb
5.
Drawing form and feel from Chess for this Pawn inspired alembic, Jacomb ties his long running series of work, originally conceived with late Father, and Chess Grandmaster, John, together with a pass time now shared with his own children using the same antique set he himself learned on.
Aaron Scythe
7. The Wand, 2024
$180 each 1-12; Driftwood, gesso, putty, porcelain, timber wax (natural non toxic) L650-315 x W80-25 x D65-20mm
When I think of games, I can't help but reflect on how my children played while growing up. Especially when we returned to New Zealand, our financial situation at that time, and the lessons we learned from our experiences in Japan before we left.
During that period, our children weren’t surrounded by shiny plastic toys or commercial games. Instead, they were given the challenge of creating their own entertainment. One of my favourite creations from that time was their handmade wands, which still hold a cherished place in our home.
These wands became the heart of their imaginative adventures, particularly in the ever-popular Harry Potter games they invented, complete with ever-changing rules. While we did make chessboards and pieces, nothing compared to the joy they found in their wand-fuelled escapades. Those wands travelled with us on many journeys, becoming companions on our adventures.
The experience of crafting those wands hunting for driftwood on the beach and painting them was always a family affair. It provided our children with invaluable life lessons, something they've shared with me as they've grown up. The attachment to something handmade, compared to store-bought items, is unmistakable. Our home is adorned with many of their handmade creations, each one a testament to their creativity and treasured by them. And let’s be honest: wands just look really cool!
7. The Wand, 2024
$180 each Driftwood, gesso, putty, porcelain, timber wax (natural non toxic) 1-3
1 – L650 x W75 x D65mm
2 – L615 x W40 x D45mm
3 – L335 x W40 x D25mm
$180 each
4-6
5
6
$180 each
7-9
Scythe
7. The Wand, 2024
$180 each 1-12; Driftwood, gesso, putty, porcelain, timber wax (natural non toxic) 10-12
10 – L620 x W25 x D20mm
11 – L420 x Dia.25mm
12 – L450 x W35 x 25mm
You solve it by turning the silver cubes with the letters on them, and if you solve it you get 32 four letter words simultaneously correct in 3 dimensions. At the very least you will find four words across and four words down, or 8 correct answers in 2 dimensions.
Alternately, use it as you would a 'boggle' game, rules below, as pilfered from the internet. Players will need to supply their own egg timer.
Rules
• Words must be at least three letters in length.
• Each letter after the first must be a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal neighbor of the one before it.
• No individual letter cube may be used more than once in a word.
• No capitalized or hyphenated words are allowed.
Simon Lewis-Wards
17. Jumbo Knucklebones – set of 5
$5900 or $1380 each Solid aluminium, L220 x W165 x D90mm
A contemporary tribute to the classic schoolyard game, these Jumbo Knucklebones reimagine familiar childhood play as an elegant sculptural form. Crafted from solid aluminium, they invite viewers to reflect on the intersection of nostalgia and design, celebrating the enduring simplicity and joy of play.