Each month a member of our community is invited to browse our online collection and select six of their favourite artworks. Each ‘My Choice’ selection, together with personal responses to the works, will be available to view on the Sarjeant Gallery website for one month at a time. The September 2020 My Choice has been selected by Lily Claypole, and is available to view until 30 September 2020.
Lily Claypole is a young aspiring artist from Whanganui, with a passion for photography. In 2018, she was the recipient of the Sarjeant Gallery WDC youth recognition award, a Fine Arts Whanganui scholarship, resulting in a solo exhibition in 2019, and had her Level 3 portfolios chosen for NZQA’s Top Arts Exhibition. She plans to study fine art in the future.
My Choice September 2020: Lily Claypole, aspiring artist.
Click on an image to see further details about the work and artist, and view a large version.
Curiosity – Eugen Von Blass
“I adore this image. The wonder, warmth, and whimsy. It poses many questions – what is hidden on the other side of the fence? Why has it captured their attention? It so perfectly captures the curiosity and to top it all off their costumes are just stunning.”
Kaipara – Peter Peryer
“I admire Peter Peryer’s black and white photographs that chronicle New Zealand life. This image is reminiscent of adventures on the beach in Mokau. Camping in the cow fields owned by a local farmer, we would spend many days at the beach, swimming around the ‘flowerpots’ in the river mouth and visiting the rock pools at low tide. When strolling along the beautiful dark black sand, I was often fascinated by the clumps of seafoam that would be lifted by the wind and run across the sand. I would chase them as they danced and jumped about.”
Vivian Smith – Portrait of the Artist's Daughter
“I have been captivated by this striking image ever since I first saw it on display in the Celebrating Women exhibition. Vivian Smith’s daughter, Lillian has a strong profile that stands out against the piercing blue background. She has a solemn look on her face and a controlled stare at something outside of the frame.”
Together – Yvonne Todd
“I love Yvonne Todd’s portraits. This one in particular stands out to me with its use of colour and bold text. I feel that the way the subjects are dressed and positioned conveys a certain vulnerability. It makes me wonder what unfortunate circumstances these women have faced and admire their sense of strength and unity.”
Stairs, old Chronicle building 2/6/2009 – Andrew Ross
“Andrew Ross possesses an incredible ability to make the places he photographs feel so empty and isolated, as though they have been left untouched for a very long time; like documentation of an abandoned world. For me, the photograph represents the passing of time. This staircase encapsulates the rich history of this building while also reminding me of this space in its contemporary setting.”
Somme Parade Takeaways, 189 Somme Parade, Whanganui – Richard Wotton
“This image reminds me of childhood trips to Aramoho for fish and chips. Piled in the car, we would take our chips and sit by the river to watch the world go by. Somme parade takeaway was the go-to for chips in our household and the owners knew our usual orders. As I grew, so did this quaint building, extending its walls, changing colours from a faded carnation pink to a bright fluorescent orange and aging over time.”
