3 November – 12 February, 2023
Exhibition Opening: Wednesday 2 November, 6-8pm
Master Bedroom Gallery
Nature is violent and cruel; there are no fairy tale endings such as presented in children’s stories like the Ugly Duckling. Cutting the cord (2022) centres on shared behaviours exhibited by humans and birds and the social dynamic of the brood within a ménage. My anthropomorphic human-animal-hybrids highlight the similarities between the fledgling stage in birds and transitional adulthood in humans.
I try to make sense of domestic experiences through the observation of other species and use them to help make sense of my own, deploying the transitional object as medium. The binkies and thumbs, which mimic the nipple the child feeds from, are referenced in stuffed animals and blankets (unpicked and re-stitched) — that once simulated the softness and warmth of a mother’s embrace.
My creatures are born from misplaced comfort, violence, and the complexity of separation.
This exhibition is supported by the Wallace Arts Trust and Jan Warburton Charitable Trust and is in association with the Dunedin School of Art, Otago Polytechnic. Tess Wing is the 2020 recipient of the Wallace & Jan Warburton Graduate Exhibition Scholarship.
One of the greatest hurdles for any fine arts graduate embarking on a career as a professional artist is to secure opportunities to exhibit in Auckland and/or to be represented by an Auckland commercial gallery. This Scholarship provides selected graduating students with an opportunity to exhibit at the prestigious Pah Homestead in Auckland, including a targeted introduction to the Auckland art market.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Tess Wing is a textile-based sculpture artist, who creates cute, desirable objects with a dash of horror. In 2021, they graduated from Dunedin School of Art with first-class honours. Wing’s existing practice is largely derived from the discourse on mental health and memory, drawing from existing movements such as Surrealism, Superflat and Pop art.
Wing’s tactile anthropomorphized characters and objects generate narrative and conversation. They provide a social commentary on human-animal relations, domestic relationships, or a combination of the two. These installations and the objects provoke mixed feelings of desire and repulsion.