In
his first major exhibition in Auckland in over a decade, American born sculptor
Jim Wheeler’s affinity with the natural world is deftly expressed in his
intricate bronze sculptures of the native and introduced flora of New Zealand.
Wheeler’s
reputation for large outdoor sculpture has been cemented through his inclusion
in some of the country’s best-known outdoor sculpture exhibitions and sculpture
parks including; Sculpture OnShore, Sculpture on the Gulf, Shapeshifter at the
Dowse Art Gallery and the Brick Bay Sculpture Park. His latest exhibition Stalking
Nature, to be held at Artis Gallery, will include both
large-scale outdoor works, as well as small pieces for inside the home.
The
title of the exhibition, Stalking Nature, articulates
the artists studied observations of plants and his interest in the harmonic
relationships between the different species, their lifecycles and the
ecosystems that they inhabit.
Born
in North Carolina the son of a professional forester, Wheeler describes himself
as an ‘amateur botanist’, studying both art and biology at university. After
university, Wheeler undertook a two-year apprenticeship based on a renaissance
model at The Johnson Atelier, learning the traditional skills of bronze
casting. From the beginnings of his artistic career plant-life was a central
theme in his sculptural practice, and on immigrating to New Zealand nearly
thirty years ago, Wheeler fell in love with the indigenous flora that still
manages to occupy much of our countryside.
Jim
Wheeler works on a scale that ranges from the intimate to the majestic. Tiny
works draw the viewer in to get a closer look; to rediscover the magic resting
in a curled leaflet or a kauri cone, while large pieces tower over the viewer, reminding
us of our insignificance next to the giants of the forest, and that we should
tread lightly in our environment. They entreat us to think about the world
around us, to look again at the plants that make up such an important part of
our world.
A
key theme in Wheeler’s practice is what we, as people, can learn from nature: "The
core theme for my sculpture is the contemplation of nature and to point out how
humans are a part of this whole. I try to illustrate the interconnectedness of
all living things and their interdependence within the environment. Nature is
our greatest model, a perfected system, and should be seen as a source of
inspiration for our own society.”
A full-time art
practitioner since 1989, Wheeler has been exhibiting for over thirty years,
with six solo shows and many group exhibitions both here and overseas. His work
is held in The British Museum, London; The Weatherspoon Art Museum, USA; The
Auckland Museum; The James Wallace Trust and Zealandia, Mahurangi. A major
work, Rata/Pohutukawa Descending, hangs
in 280 Queen Street, Auckland.
