Critical eye on life and art marks crossroads for artist

The Universe Will Provide, an exhibition by Josephine Cachemaille, Red Gallery to December 24.

This exhibition is a mash of two distinct bodies of work on the theme of moral panic in middle class, provincial New Zealand.

The first is a set of the small, monochromatic paintings for which Cachemaille is best known. Unlike her earlier work, which could be described as visual poems in the style of Seraphine Pick, these are interpretations of well-known media images that symbolise global issues such as nuclear warfare, natural disasters, disease and terrorism and the local threats of drug dealers, P labs and dangerous dogs.

Despite the rash of red dots (indicating healthy sales), these paintings are most successful as a group, where contrasts between the global/local, Twin Towers/tinny house can be made. As individual paintings, however, I found them a bit basic, too small (verging on cute in their sweet "found" frames) and well, boring, despite the urgency of the subject matter.

This is probably because I found the second body of work, which represents a new direction for this artist, infinitely more interesting.

This is an assembly of crude, ethnographically styled objects and amulets that spit in the face of the dominant values of art-making in Nelson: fine craftsmanship and, especially, tasteful regional idealism.

Instead, Cachemaille has been inspired by the primitive behaviours of her fellow man, from the pacifying effects of idol worship and superstition to documenting observed social interactions at the infamous Pioneer Park, which is near the artist's home.

She makes her point clearly in a trophy-like diorama that features two anthropomorphised plastic model apes, representing a couple of winos sharing a light – certainly a high point in any civilisation.

Moreover, the rudimentary amulet necklaces look like they would fall apart with wear so are essentially useless, except in a decorative, museum artefact kind of way.

This theme of vulnerability and hopelessness, observed from a scientific and obviously atheist perspective, is what connects an otherwise confused exhibition. The weakness of this show is that it so obviously represents an artist at a creative crossroads. Cachemaille exposes her lack of confidence by holding on to the safety blanket of technically skilful paintings, which blunts the impact of the uglier, closer-to-home works.

This is a shame because these are rough but valuable little gems, and provided me with great hope that finally, another artist other than Janice Gill is willing to turn a critical eye on life in sunny Nelson.

- © Fairfax NZ News