 | Something Quirkier |
Delighted |
Look up. A flock of fish flying through the ceiling space of the gallery, full of hope and promise.
This collaborative piece was inspired by a story told by Liz (number 6 in the catalogue). In the story were the words ‘Christmas’ and ‘Fish.’ I couldn’t help myself - I immediately imagined a flock of fish blinking and winking in the roof space of the gallery - perfect timing as the exhibition is in place over the summer holidays.
How this installation was made:
People were invited to make some fish of their own to contribute to this installation. The 3D fish could be made out of any material. To be included in the flying flock the fish need to be lightweight (no heavier than 100g). Heavier, less svelte fish, would be exhibited closer to the ground for safety. The fish could be any shape and length (up to 1m). Contributors were encouraged to be creative - delve into the realms of natural history, fantasy and sci-fi for the design. Use colour, texture and surface decorations. Think about an emotion or story about a small blessing that you might convey in your design.
If contributors needed inspiration for the shape of rather fish, they could access one of the many websites that offer free templates. These sites offer patterns for knitting and crochet patterns.
Here is a short video of the installation in motion. An unexpected surprise - when the air conditioning was on the fish were ’swimming’. This video was taken in the early days of the exhibition.
One hundred and seven fish were created for the installation! Makers of the fish include Jo, Chris, Desi, Kratai, Lorraine, Jackie, Lynn, Anne, Khya, Rosemary, Helen, Kathleen, Jill, Gillian W., Bron, SS, Nina... and probably some folk who snuck their fish in and I have forgotten to record their names. Please let me know if I need to add your name.
Photos of some of the fish included in the installation:
At the conclusion of the project the fish were gifted to members of the community. Here are some of the notes left by people who chose a fish to take home: Hey Jillian. Your fish is so cute and as soon as I saw it I thought that it would be the perfect gift for my little sis Elliot. you’re so talented. Lots of love, Tahlia. To Jackie. I picket ur fish because it looks like a fish from fortnite. Thankyou for ur beautiful blessing. love form talon. (Spelling as presented by the young author). To Chris and Jo. I picked this fish as purple is my favourite colour and I love the bits of gold. It reminds me of a fish I used to have. From Tahlia. To Desi. Thank you for you beautiful shark. I’m gifting it on to our 3 y.o granddaughter who is into sharks at the moment (courtesy of the tv show and song BabyShark). I know she will love it. From Sheila. To Kratai. Thank you for creating this fish. I will hang it up and watch it swim above me as I get to sleep. Thank you again, Kratai! From Freya. To Chris and Jo. [This fish is] for my step daughter who lives in NZ and has fragile X syndrome. She will love the textures and share of the the. Bless you both. Bea. To Helen. Your absolutely fab fish reminds me of the ‘sevs’, as my deceased daughter used to call the seventies - a fave decade of mine. Thank you, Shelley. To Katheleen.... I just love the shape and sequins of my fish [made from scraps of felt made by Lynn]. Thank you. From Kratai. To Rosemary. These two fish will be hanging in a 6 month old’s bedroom, but I think will bring as much joy to his mother - she has had a challenging time in her pregnancy and now with mental health challenges and late diagnosed emergency surgery. She needs positives - and these certainly are!!! From Nikki. To Kathleen. I love the colour of this fish and all the hard work. The beads are beautiful and very creative. From Eve S. |