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| 2000 Circles by Martin Hill |
Martyn Myer AO of the leading Melbourne retail family is
pleased to announce Wanaka-based artist Martin Hill and his partner, Philippa
Jones, as winners of the first annual Kenneth Myer Artist's/Writer's Retreat.
Martin Hill and Philippa Jones, celebrated for their
striking environmental sculptures and photographs, will be based at Whare Kea
Chalet over the next week through to Tuesday, 2 October, and for a further 10
days in December.
Dramatically situated high in New Zealand's Southern Alps,
at 1750 metres on the north side of Dragonfly Peak, the luxurious chalet is a
20-minute helicopter flight from Martyn and Louise Myer's Whare Kea Lodge on
the banks of Lake Wanaka.
Martyn Myer established the retreat to mark the 20th
anniversary of the passing of his father, Kenneth Myer, who was long involved
in the visual and performing arts. He was chairman of the Victorian Arts Centre
Trust for three decades, and a board member of the Art Gallery of New South
Wales for a number of years. As with the present generation of his family, he
had a great affinity with the mountains and was an enthusiastic trout
fisherman.
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| Whare Kea Chalet |
"The retreat provides a writer, poet, visual artist,
photographer or composer with the opportunity to step away from their
day-to-day lives," says Martyn Myer. "We hope the remoteness of the
chalet may provide stimulation for creative thinking. The work they carry out
does not have to be directly related to where they are, or in fact the location
may be part of the inspiration and what they do.
"The chalet has astounding views westward to Mount
Aspiring's tumbling glaciers, and north-east to Mount Cook, which is visible on
the horizon," says Martyn Myer.*
Artists Hill and Jones were chosen as the winners of the
first retreat following a careful review of entrants and their work by an
assessing panel.
"We were familiar with the works of well-known artist
Andy Goldsworthy, who does a lot of environmental sculpture," says Myer.
"Martin Hill is in a similar vein, and I like that form of sculpture very
well, being engaged with the landscape and making something creative and
artistic out of it."
When Myer discovered the work of Hill at Gallery 33 in
Wanaka, he was struck by the philosophy behind it. Hence, when it came to the
retreat project, Myer wished for him to consider it. "His environmental
sculptures tie in with what we are doing here, based on themes around the
environment and sustainability."
Both mountaineers and locals, Hill and Jones will take up
the residency offer over two occasions, one in September in cooler conditions,
allowing for snow and ice sculptures, and a second in December, in the height
of summer. "This will mean a lovely contrast in the work and exhibition
they create," says Myer.
Hill has now unveiled the scope of the project, with the
inspiration coming directly from Whare Kea Chalet. In collaboration with Jones,
he is planning a series of ephemeral and permanent sculptures, works on paper,
photographic works, and video, under the concept name Watershed.
In the Watershed project I will explore the alpine
environment and nature's law that governs it," saysill. "The body of
work we create will be more diverse than we have previously made, incorporating
new ideas and mediums. The intention is to make new kinds of works about the
relationship between human systems and the water cycle. Alpine snow and ice is
integral to the earth's water system. For example, the Himalayan ice feeds the
river systems of India and Pakistan and their populations are dependent on
their flow for survival. Climate change is affecting the water patterns of the
world.
"Watershed has other meanings for me: not only is
humanity at a watershed in terms of ecological and social sustainability, but I
also am at a watershed in that I am looking at new ways to approach the issues
that my work has always been about."
Hill's primary practice over the past 20 years has been to
use naturally occurring materials to create ephemeral sculptures to convey the
cyclical movement of matter through different ecosystems.
"Philippa and I often go into the alpine wilderness on
foot, carrying everything we need to survive and work for several days. This
marvellous opportunity of the retreat offers us a chance to spend a significant
time exploring and working in the natural environment at altitude, while having
the protection of a beautiful luxury base," says Hill.
The generous retreat prize includes a fully catered stay at
Whare Kea Chalet from 10 to 20 days, with a mountain guide for support for the
first two days, plus return helicopter transfers and a weekly helicopter to
bring supplies.
Criteria for the retreat specifies that the winner should be
a accompanied by a partner, that both should have relevant mountain experience,
whether tramping, mountaineering or off-piste skiing, and that one of the duo
blogs on Whare Kea's website every other day. The Myers have requested that
work ultimately published or exhibited features acknowledgment of the Kenneth
Myer Retreat and the support of the Louise and Martyn Myer Foundation, as well
as Whare Kea Lodge and Chalet.
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| Circle of Circle by Martin Hill |
* Quote from Martyn and Louise Myer's book, Wanaka: Earth to
Heaven at Whare Kea by Michal McKay, with photographs by Kieran Scott.
Published by Godwit, an imprint of Random House New Zealand. Around $65, at
leading bookstores in Sydney, including Lesley McKay's Bookshop, Woollahra, and
in Melbourne at My Bookshop by Corrie Perkin, Hawksburn, and at select Myer
stores in both cities.
Follow Martin Hill and Philippa Jones' creative journey on
their blog, at martin-hill.com, orphilippapainting.wordpress.com.
You can also view posts on Whare Kea's Facebook page.
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