A snake in a bottle, reimagined as a braided snake charmer basket. An autumnal teapot, accompanied by a complete papier mache tea set. A pristine pair of bloomers pegged beside patchworked black lace.
Golden Bay Museum’s latest exhibition takes something old and reinvents it as something new, through the creative lens of the Bay’s many artists.
Museum services manager Karen Johnson says the exhibition, Origin, is a celebration of the facility’s establishment 36 years ago. It is also an homage to Margaret Wilson, the Mohua resident whose vast and treasured collection still makes up more than half of the museum’s holdings.
The exhibition was the inspiration of Lollokiki artist Toy Murchie, who approached Karen with the idea of “bringing the past into the present”, using pieces from the original collection as a springboard for new creations.
And the original collection certainly has plenty to offer. Karen says that at a rough estimate there are more than 8000 items in Margaret’s collection.
“But we won’t count all the buttons in the jar,” she smiles. “That would be one.”
Among the items are geological specimens, shells, household objects, textiles, machinery, musical instruments, Māori taonga, bottles, clothing, curios and more.
“There’s paintings, there’s furniture, there’s taxidermy… pretty much a museum collection.”
The resulting artworks, created by 27 local artists, include elements of glasswork, acrylics, ceramics, weaving, collage, embroidery and hand-cast jewellery.
“It was a big response,” Karen says, adding that staff did not know what they were getting until the pieces arrived. “There’s a lot of talent out there.”
Each artwork is displayed alongside the original item that inspired it, and the exhibition has proven popular with visitors, bringing new audiences into the museum.
Origin runs until Thursday, 30 April. Golden Bay Museum is at 73 Commercial Street in Tākaka and is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm, and Saturday 10am to 2pm.
