Crowning Glory
When Church began seeing Crown Lynn ceramics as geographical features of New Zealand, she knew she had gone too far in the creation of her first exhibition to turn back. Spying a Kingfisher perched on its porcelain base, instead she saw her Farewell Spit. A kitsch conch shell jug was instantly recognisable as the Taranaki cape. Crowning glory marks the fruition of three months trawling second hand shops in the North and South Islands for the iconic crockery which, ironically, was produced in the Auckland suburb of New Lynn. “The challenge with Crowning Glory was putting together a jigsaw that was never meant to be one,” “You’ll find Crown Lynn ceramics in baches and old country halls all over New Zealand. I guess Crowning Glory takes it a step further.”
Tiki Lynn
The inspiration for Tiki Lynn came to Church when she was preparing the various pieces of Crown Lynn ceramics for the Crowning Glory piece. Most of the pieces have no reference to New Zealand whatsoever – back then there wasn’t the attraction there is today to buy New Zealand made – Crown Lynn had a multitude of various stamps to imprint each range. One particular vase had a tiki stamped on the base. It was unashamedly kiwi and the only piece I found with that mark.
The bone-like qualities of the ceramic also tie in with the traditional Maori bone-carvings, with two Crown Lynn saucers – the only use of coloured crockery – providing an morepork-like gaze on the world. “It was when I saw the vase that is now the Tiki’s tongue that I knew my puzzle would be complete!
Tiki Lynn reclaims Crown Lynn pottery as distinctly New Zealand, because for years it wasn’t marketed as a proud kiwi product.
Printed using archival paper and pigment inks - These materials are tested to last a life time.
Oh Deer
The urban hunter’s enviro-friendly trophy, this stag’s head longs to be hung above a mantelpiece. It is a stark image: the white of the background and the bleached bone contrasts with the dark antlers and the ingrained grubbiness of age; a forgotten relic once more put on display. Oh Deer, uses the fact that it is a photograph as a source of humour and irony. Oh well...
