The works in the exhibition form two distinct bodies of work, where environmental vigilance the common denominator.

Exhibition Dates: 3 November – 26 November 2011

Works in the exhibition form two distinct bodies of work. Environmental vigilance the common denominator.

1.    Shot Through. The first instalment of the macabre trophy menagerie destined for Documenta 13 in Kassel, Germany in 2012. A 21st C hunter’s den. An A-list of near extinct guests on the United Nations IUCN Red List. A small gathering of nations in its own right: Californian Condor, Australian Night Parrot, French Dragon Fly, Japanese Cat, Mexican Axolotl, New Zealand Kakapo. Camouflaged, in a fashion, as in nature, in the military uniform de jour.

www.iucnredlist.org

2.    Fiona Hall was one of seven artists invited by Gregory O’Brien of City Gallery Wellington to go on an expedition in the South Pacific along the Kermadec Trench — a highly biologically and politically-sensitive geological region in one of the deepest parts of the ocean. The Trench is defined by the meeting of tectonic plates and so is the site of much geothermal activity. Marine life unknown to science. Mining interests. The Trench is rich in gold and other precious natural resources. Fishing interests. New Zealand Fisheries are keen. The Trench extends from the North Island of New Zealand to Tonga. The expedition was funded by the Pew Environment Group, a Washington DC-based philanthropic group focussed on environmental issues. www.thekermadecs.com In my mind I drew a vertical line from our ship to the bottom of the Kermadec Trench below, down to a crack in the molten eggshell of the Earth’s core. The line drew deeper than the lowest limits where daylight could possibly reach, and slipped in the darkness from the firm grasp of science. It descended through a galaxy of bioluminescent, living things, still swimming as they once did in the depth of life’s dawn. And then the line I drew sank from my mind’s view beyond the farthest, darkest fathom that I could ever reach by my imagining. Ten thousand metres from the sea floor to its surface. Fiona Hall, ‘Listing to starboard’, Encounters — The Kermadecs, The Pew Environment Group, 2011.

—Amanda Rowell

— 

Fiona Hall is one of Australia’s most prominent contemporary artists. She has been selected for dOCUMENTA (13) in Kassel, Germany 2012, and has been included in many other important group exhibitions and biennales over the past two decades. These include: The Biennale of Sydney (2000 and 2010); The Third Moscow Biennale of Contemporary Art, Moscow (2009); DeOverkant/Downunder, Den Haag Sculpture 2007, Netherlands (2007); Prism: Contemporary Australian Art at the Bridgestone Museum, Tokyo (2006); Fieldwork: Australian Art 1968 – 2002 at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (2002); and Perspecta at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney (1997). A retrospective of Fiona Hall’s work was held by Queensland Art Gallery and the Art Gallery of South Australia in 2005 and in 2008 the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney held a survey exhibition of her work, Fiona Hall: Force Field, which toured to the City Gallery in Wellington New Zealand. Fiona Hall’s work has been collected in depth by all major Australian museums, including the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, the Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide; and the Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane. Fiona Hall has been represented by Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery since 1995.

Hide Exhibition Text

Fiona Hall Ghost Net, 2011; Tongan dye and ochre on bark cloth, feathers, bone; 204 x 240 cm; enquire
Ghost Net, 2011
Tongan dye and ochre on bark cloth, feathers, bone
204 x 240 cm
Fiona Hall Bowline on a Bight, 2011; Tongan tapa dye and Tongan ochre on bark cloth, tin; 334 x 180 cm; enquire
Bowline on a Bight, 2011
Tongan tapa dye and Tongan ochre on bark cloth, tin
334 x 180 cm
Fiona Hall Spill, 2011; Tongan tapa dye and Tongan ochre on canvas; 165 x 210 cm; enquire
Spill, 2011
Tongan tapa dye and Tongan ochre on canvas
165 x 210 cm
Fiona Hall Scrimshaw, 2011; Tongan tapa dye and Tongan ochre on canvas; 180 x 280 cm; enquire
Scrimshaw, 2011
Tongan tapa dye and Tongan ochre on canvas
180 x 280 cm
Fiona Hall Moat, 2011; Tongan tapa dye and Tongan ochre on canvas; 210 x 314 cm; enquire
Moat, 2011
Tongan tapa dye and Tongan ochre on canvas
210 x 314 cm
Fiona Hall Macromia splendens / splendid cruiser, 2009-11; France
IUCN threat status: vulnerable
mixed media; 150 x 130 x 110 cm; dimensions variable; enquire
Macromia splendens / splendid cruiser, 2009-11
France IUCN threat status: vulnerable mixed media
150 x 130 x 110 cm; dimensions variable
Fiona Hall Ambystoma mexicanum / axolotl, 2009-11; Mexico
IUCN threat status: critically endangered
mixed media; 160 x 60 x 70 cm; dimensions variable; enquire
Ambystoma mexicanum / axolotl, 2009-11
Mexico IUCN threat status: critically endangered mixed media
160 x 60 x 70 cm; dimensions variable
Fiona Hall Prionailurus iriomotensis /Iriomote cat, 2009-11; Japan, IUCN threat status: critically endangered
mixed media; 200 x 40 x 70 cm; dimensions variable; enquire
Prionailurus iriomotensis /Iriomote cat, 2009-11
Japan, IUCN threat status: critically endangered mixed media
200 x 40 x 70 cm; dimensions variable
Fiona Hall Gymnogyps californianus / Californian condor, 2009-11; USA, IUCN threat status: critically endangered.
mixed media; 230 x 140 x 75 cm; dimensions variable; enquire
Gymnogyps californianus / Californian condor, 2009-11
USA, IUCN threat status: critically endangered. mixed media
230 x 140 x 75 cm; dimensions variable
Fiona Hall Pezoporus occidentalis / night parrot, 2009-11; Mixed media; 100 x 45 x 45 cm; enquire
Pezoporus occidentalis / night parrot, 2009-11
Mixed media
100 x 45 x 45 cm
Fiona Hall Strigops habroptila / kakapo, 2009-11; New Zealand
IUCN threat status: critically endangered; 180 x 45 x 65 cm; dimensions variable; enquire
Strigops habroptila / kakapo, 2009-11
New Zealand IUCN threat status: critically endangered
180 x 45 x 65 cm; dimensions variable
Fiona Hall 21st Century Man, 2011; US Dollars
; 47 x 34 cm; Unique work from a series of 25; Edition of 25; enquire
21st Century Man, 2011
US Dollars
47 x 34 cm; Unique work from a series of 25
Edition of 25
Fiona Hall Love Me Tender, 2009-11; aluminium, video; 20 x 15 cm; Edition of 5; enquire
Love Me Tender, 2009-11
aluminium, video
20 x 15 cm
Edition of 5
Fiona Hall Breathing in the Afterlife, 2009-11; aluminium, video; 21 x 21 cm; Edition of 5; enquire
Breathing in the Afterlife, 2009-11
aluminium, video
21 x 21 cm
Edition of 5
Fiona Hall Shoot the Breeze, 2009-11; aluminium, video; 25 x 19 cm; Edition of 5; enquire
Shoot the Breeze, 2009-11
aluminium, video
25 x 19 cm
Edition of 5
Fiona Hall Nerve Endings, 2009-11; glass, wire, video; 55 x 60 x 60 cm; enquire
Nerve Endings, 2009-11
glass, wire, video
55 x 60 x 60 cm
Fiona Hall Line in the Sand, 2011; glass, wire, neon; 77 x 11 cm; enquire
Line in the Sand, 2011
glass, wire, neon
77 x 11 cm
Fiona Hall Drowning Theory, 2011; polyurethane, vitrine; 180 x 250 x 40 cm; Edition of 5 + AP 1; enquire
Drowning Theory, 2011
polyurethane, vitrine
180 x 250 x 40 cm
Edition of 5 + AP 1