Mainframe takes art to the street

MAINFRAME: Surrounding Mini Invasion in the shop window of Inkt are (from left) Kelly Scarrow, Graeme Kiff, Geoff Follett, Susanne Clay and Pat Clay. PICTURE / PAUL BROOKS

Part of this year's Whanganui Artists Open Studios [AOS] is a number of partnerships between business owners and artists, with art works on display in CBD shop windows.
One such arrangement has the work of wrought iron artist Graeme Kiff exhibiting two sculptures in the widow of Inkt, the pen and ink shop in the Bridge Block.

"It's part of an initiative with Mainstreet Whanganui, our members and obviously the arts community, particularly Artists Open Studios, bringing the idea of closing the gap between the arts and business communities," says Kelly Scarrow, AOS event manager. "It's another way for people to be able to appreciate art and find it in the most unusual places. There are some great combinations and I particularly like this one."

Graeme's work fills the large window space.
"It stands out," says Graeme, "I think we've accomplished that. I do have a bigger version but we couldn't get it through the doorway."

Inkt is owned by husband and wife team Pat and Susanne Clay.
"It's fabulous," says Pat. "It fits the space and we wanted something big and bold so people walking down the street will go 'Wow!' They stop, they come into the shop and have a look at it. We've seen people from out of town who are here for Open Studios," The science fiction-inspired iron sculpture — Mini Invasion — is all points and incorporated discs.
"It reminded me of that time I spent in space," says Graeme, without a hint of a smile.

It accompanies a smaller piece, a garden sphere which Graeme has donated to the AOS auction.
"I started putting spheres inside spheres, cubes inside spheres, spheres inside cubes. We make them rotate — the first thing you'll see when you walk up the driveway to my gallery is a 2m-high one with a wheel on it and a galvanised cube inside that — it all spins and rotates. I'm getting into kinetic art."

"We have 35 participating businesses displaying a huge array of art, and all the art on display is for sale," says Kelly.

Art on display at Inkt is nothing new.
"We have artists rotating every month," says Susanne. "Artists come in and feature their work."
"One of the good things about Whanganui is that the arts community is there and it's approachable. You've got events like Open Studios which you don't have in most other places, and certainly not of this quality and scope," says Pat.