Whenua & Wai (Earth & Water) explores four rivers in the region of Waitara (Canterbury); the Rangitata, Hakatere, Orari and Rakaia, along with Kā Tiritiri o te Moana (The Southern Alps) and Huatekerekere (Little Mount Peel).
Often thinking of her artworks as unfinished fragments of memory, Bernadette Facer's work sits within an archetypal landscape by means of monochromatic print and assemblage.
Her current body of work titled, Whenua & Wai (Earth & Water), depicts four rivers in the region of Waitara (Canterbury); the Rangitata, Hakatere, Orari and Rakaia. This, along with Kā Tiritiri o te Moana - The Southern Alps and Huatekerekere - Little Mount Peel. The braided rivers of Rangitata, Hakatere, Orari and Rakaia are depicted as shadow water or ata wai . The use of black on black printing methods serve as a duel representation for memory and of the depletion / pollution of water resources in the agricultural district. The works Kā Tiritiri o te Moana - The Southern Alps and Huatekerekere - Little Mount Peel are representative of topographical memories.
As with Whenua & Wai, Facer's artistic processes are often influenced by the sombre and contemplative black protest paintings of Ralph Hotere.
Bernadette Facer is an abstract artist working within the mediums of printmaking and classical photography. Whilst studying at the Otago School of Art in New Zealand, these mediums were developed by mentors such as, Diane Halstead and Marilyn Webb. Although now residing in Australia, her work often has a contextual connection to New Zealand, and that of her forbears from Ireland and of the United Kingdom.
As part of the Warringah printmakers studio and of the redfox dada movement, she has been in a number of group exhibitions both within Australia and overseas.
Often thinking of her artworks as unfinished fragments of memory, Bernadette Facer's work sits within an archetypal landscape by means of monochromatic print and assemblage.
Her current body of work titled, Whenua & Wai (Earth & Water), depicts four rivers in the region of Waitara (Canterbury); the Rangitata, Hakatere, Orari and Rakaia. This, along with Kā Tiritiri o te Moana - The Southern Alps and Huatekerekere - Little Mount Peel. The braided rivers of Rangitata, Hakatere, Orari and Rakaia are depicted as shadow water or ata wai . The use of black on black printing methods serve as a duel representation for memory and of the depletion / pollution of water resources in the agricultural district. The works Kā Tiritiri o te Moana - The Southern Alps and Huatekerekere - Little Mount Peel are representative of topographical memories.
As with Whenua & Wai, Facer's artistic processes are often influenced by the sombre and contemplative black protest paintings of Ralph Hotere.
Bernadette Facer is an abstract artist working within the mediums of printmaking and classical photography. Whilst studying at the Otago School of Art in New Zealand, these mediums were developed by mentors such as, Diane Halstead and Marilyn Webb. Although now residing in Australia, her work often has a contextual connection to New Zealand, and that of her forbears from Ireland and of the United Kingdom.
As part of the Warringah printmakers studio and of the redfox dada movement, she has been in a number of group exhibitions both within Australia and overseas.
