The Friends of the Sarjeant Centenary Chandelier / permanent display
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The Friends of the Sarjeant Centenary Chandelier / permanent display

Category
Current Exhibitions

Crystal Chain Gang

The Friends of the Sarjeant Centenary Chandelier

11 Nov, 2024 – ongoing

Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery has a long-standing relationship with Jim Dennison and Leanne Williams, who have worked collaboratively as the Crystal Chain Gang since 2003. The duo studied glass in Whanganui, and the Sarjeant Gallery staged their first solo exhibition in a public gallery, Fancy Fools Flight, in 2011, which toured nationally. Over the last two decades, they have become renowned for their work, which marries art, craft, and design, undertaking many public and private commissions for their chandeliers.

To mark the Sarjeant Gallery’s centenary in 2019, they were invited to create a work that would respond to the extraordinary architectural detail of the neoclassical heritage gallery to which we have now returned. This magnificent chandelier marked a shift in the Crystal Chain Gang’s practice, as it combined ambitious blown glass components with the press-moulded glass technique Dennison and Williams traditionally used to create the drops of their chandeliers. All components of the chandelier were made using moulds taken from the intricate plasterwork present throughout the building. These large jewel-like pieces have allowed the duo to upscale their work and add a new vocabulary of shapes and forms to their archive.

To realize such an ambitious project, funding was necessary, and this is where the Friends of the Gallery played a crucial role. By seeking contributions of $100 from 100 Friends, $10,000 was raised to bring the project to fruition. This campaign was a success, and we are extremely grateful to all those who generously gave to the project. We would also like to thank Jim and Leanne for this beautiful work, which is a fitting tribute to the Gallery’s first century. This project wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of New Zealand Glassworks and the dedication, skill, and expertise of Philip Stokes, Scott Redding, Brendon Sole, and Allister Toy.