In her practice, she has drawn on a range of diverse materials such as building paper, house and office loads of unwanted and new carpet, fabric, rope and recycled activewear. Her work using secondhand sportswear was part of a group exhibition, Finders, at Sarjeant on the Quay in 2021 by artists using unconventional materials.
She is now taking time during the residency to develop artwork in weaving. Around the cottage studio hang examples of vibrant experimental work along with wool of different colours and textures. The loom stands quiet, empty today; waiting for the next warp and weft. This is an emergent creative space.
Visits to the Sarjeant from time to time have brought Lillico to Whanganui and she is excited to see the gallery on the brink of reopening.
“It’s going to open up the opportunity for the collection to be exhibited more. There will be more opportunities for artists to show work and for people to have an encounter with some art that speaks to them.
“It will become a destination for existing art audiences but also new audiences, and for the local community. There’ll be education spaces and social spaces and not just silent spaces for contemplation.”
Even in the midst of the move back to Pukenamu, Lillico has had the opportunity to view the Sarjeant collection with senior curator and programmes manager Greg Donson, including works by one of her favourite artists, Don Driver.
“It was interesting to see as an artist, but also as someone who works in a museum to see their new racking. I saw some things that I didn’t know they had and it would be great to see on display.”
Architecture in Whanganui is another interest. Many of Lillico’s carpet sculptures were inspired by Brutalist architectural floor plans and she is curious to see what may happen with Terrace House, also known as the “criss-cross” building.
“I love the way that light plays on a raw, concrete surface and the confidence of Brutalist architecture – the honesty of the materials, the rawness. That was the initial inspiration behind my carpet sculptures that were based on Brutalist apartment buildings. So I’m interested to see what will happen with that building as well. I’d heard that there were plans for it to become an apartment building at one point.”
Another point of interest is the way Brutalism polarises people.
“The initial intent was something very honest, very democratic, very for the people and used in the design of city councils, universities, libraries, public spaces. Fifty years later, it’s seen as authoritarian, depressing, almost the opposite of what the intention was. So I find that really interesting how through time meaning changes.”
Tylee Cottage artist-in-residence Kirsty Lillico will give an illustrated talk about her work on Wednesday, September 25, at 7pm at the Davis Lecture Theatre, Watt St. Entry is free and everyone is welcome. Bookings are not necessary.
