Continuum

My wife Jasmine and my collaborative show opens this Friday June 4 at Fiksate Gallery in Christchurch.

We’ve been down in Christchurch the last week doing the final preparations for our upcoming show Continuum at Fiksate Gallery. All the works are now stretched and finished in nice black tray frames and look incredible! This is the first time Jasmine and I have worked together on a totally collaborative body of work and it’s been a really enjoyable process. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned but her background is in fashion design but during the pandemic she made the pivot into focussing on another interest of hers, photography. Generally her work sits somewhere between documentary and super stylised fashion photography. Over the last year she coordinated a shoot nearly each week (observing social distancing protocols) it was pretty remarkable to watch and often I got roped into carrying and setting up gear and holding the reflector. She has a really natural gift, an astute eye for detail and composition. I really admire what she’s done and how essential and outlet it’s been during a challenging year. Most of her final images are presented best on her Instagram account where they are accompanied by a short essay about each person featured.

Collaboration is the key to progressing out of old habits and rigid thinking. Knowing the difference between having the technical way to move forward & falling back & allowing others to lead. Making art can be an extremely self indulgent process at times so to work with a team/another person can be very liberating.

The images we are presenting in Continuum are a seamless fusion of her photography and many of my current analogue/digital printing and painting techniques. Once again Rueben Woods has written this fantastic and concise breakdown of the show.

Really grateful for Jasmine’s experience in various aspects of fashion/photography for bringing a different type of sophistication to these works. Her taste level, eye for placement & understanding of colour is so honed, I’ve felt really humbled through this process and learned a lot.

Also so stoked to have had my mum Meghann Humphries involved in this process. She’s a florist focussing mostly on weddings and helped out with the arrangements using an assortment of fresh and dried flowers. If you’re in the Auckland area and ever need flowers hit her up!

Last but definitely not least I need to give a big shout out to our friend Jahra Wasasala who brought a whole different dimension and totally inimitable energy to this project. Jahra is a next level artist with integrity who I admire deeply for her dedication, originality and carving out a really unique space for herself. We are so stoked to have the chance to photograph her and use the images as the basis for these final works.

For anyone interested in viewing an advance catalogue ahead of the opening this Friday, feel free to email me: info@askew1.com

Additionally, I’ve been working on a huge mural down here at the Ara Institute. I’m super happy with how it’s been shaping up but there is currently a huge storm and flooding passing through the region so things are on hold for a few days. Here’s some process photos Jasmine shot the other day.