North Canterbury News: October 03, 2019
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NEWS<br />
34 <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>October</strong> 3, <strong>2019</strong><br />
WHAT DOIOFFER?<br />
• Openness<br />
• Straight Talk<br />
• No Vested Interest<br />
• Inclusiveness<br />
• Deep Desire to<br />
Improve Our<br />
Community<br />
Want To Talk?<br />
Give me acall <strong>03</strong> 314 9905<br />
or 027 225 5068<br />
✓<br />
Authorised by Michael Ward. 3Johnson Avenue,Amberley<br />
Michael Ward<br />
For Council<br />
2208802<br />
Strong emotions ... Susan Higgs works on the stylised ceramic heads in an installation<br />
that will feature in the upcoming Sculpture on the Peninsula exhibition.<br />
PHOTO:SUPPLIED<br />
First came the shock,<br />
then came the art<br />
Rangiora’s Susan Higgs,amusicianturnedsculptor,<br />
is oneofarecord<br />
number of acclaimedand emerging<br />
artistsselected to take part in the largest<br />
sculpture exhibition in theSouthIsland,<br />
Sculptureonthe Peninsula.<br />
The eventisbeing held on November<br />
8, 9and 10 at Loudon Farm,Teddington,<br />
on BanksPeninsula.<br />
Susan’s workisbasedondisplaced<br />
people, and was originally inspired by<br />
women of theCongo whohave been<br />
under threat fromwarringrebels forthe<br />
past20years.<br />
Susan said it stemmedfrom meeting a<br />
woman in Britain whenshe wasstudying<br />
at Harrow Art Schoolatthe University of<br />
Westminster who had survivedthe<br />
Rwandangenocide.<br />
‘‘I wassoshocked by what happened to<br />
her and the women of hervillage that I<br />
becameabit obsessed aboutmaking an<br />
installation representingthesewomen,<br />
mainlytheir constantneedtomovefrom<br />
place to place, on foot, across milesof<br />
dangerous country,tryingtoprotect<br />
themselves.<br />
‘‘I can’tevenbegin to imagine how<br />
impossibletheirlivesmust be,the<br />
trauma they carry withthem.<br />
‘‘I learntabout manyof the thingsthat<br />
happenedtothemand their familiesat<br />
the timethatIwas doing my degree in<br />
ceramics.Iwas galvanised by their<br />
stories.’’<br />
Susan wasn’tinterestedinmaking<br />
potsand foundthinking aboutusing<br />
ceramic as aportrayalofcertain<br />
subjectsmoreinspiringand captivating.<br />
‘‘It was ariskydeparture for me at the<br />
timeas, up until thatpoint,Ihad beena<br />
classicalmusician for many years.<br />
‘‘ Iwas a‘mature’ student at the<br />
ceramic school andwasgiving up my<br />
careerasaviolinist.’’<br />
Susan makesheadsfrom moulds.<br />
‘‘They are allthe same form, with only<br />
slight variationsfrom my owncarving<br />
and firingthemwith awhite crackled<br />
glazethatsortofrepresented the dry<br />
land, thedamage/trauma of thewomen,<br />
LOST AND FOUND<br />
The following property has been<br />
reported to the police as lost in <strong>North</strong><br />
<strong>Canterbury</strong>. Haveyou seen it?<br />
Ablack under armour sports bag<br />
(Rangiora), asilver Apple iPhone 5S<br />
(Cheviot), ablack wallet (Rangiora), a<br />
❛As it is in ceramics, it is with<br />
trepidation that one opens the<br />
kiln at the end of asevenday<br />
cycle of firing.❜<br />
—SusanHiggs<br />
andthe large numbers theymigrate in.<br />
‘‘Animportant aspect formewas the<br />
useofmultiples.Ifind multiplesof<br />
objects all in one place veryintense and<br />
expressive and Iparticularly wanted to<br />
portray thesewomen like thisbecause of<br />
my experience as aprotectedand<br />
privileged child growing up in New<br />
Zealand, seeingthese people on<br />
television appearing all the sameand<br />
being completely removedfromthemas<br />
individuals,’’ she says.<br />
Theheadsare made with gritty clay<br />
slabs andeach one is glazed differently.<br />
Susan saysher intention is to have<br />
themall look the same fromadistance.<br />
‘‘Howeverwhenyou go up closeyou<br />
see they have details all over their<br />
heads, differentfromeach other.It’s<br />
quite an involved processbecause the<br />
drying timehas to be slow.<br />
‘‘And, as it is in ceramics, it is with<br />
trepidationthatoneopensthe kiln at the<br />
endofasevendaycycle of firing. And<br />
thatisjust fourheadsatatime!’’<br />
Susan is now trying to do both music<br />
andceramics.<br />
She has been playing violininthe<br />
Christchurch SymphonyOrchestrafor<br />
the past fiveyears.<br />
Tickets forthe grandopening of<br />
Sculpture on thePeninsula cost $75 and<br />
arelimited. Theywillbeonsalefrom<br />
<strong>October</strong>1.Entry on Saturday and<br />
Sunday is $15 peradult (childrenunder<br />
12 arefree)andpayment can be madeon<br />
arrival. Forfurther information,<br />
including afull listofcontributing<br />
artists, visit: sculpturenz.co.nz<br />
red carabiner with about six keys<br />
(Hanmer Springs), ablack Samsung<br />
Galaxy phone (Rangiora), gold rim<br />
prescription Aviator sunglasses with<br />
brown arms (Kaiapoi), awhite gold and<br />
diamondwedding band (Rangiora).
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