Black ice 1999
Enamel paint on mesh
Triptych: 30.5 x 66cm; 36 x 137cm; 41 x 102cm
Collection: The artist

Flood 1999
Woven fishing line
Triptych: 56 x 41cm; 112 x 41cm; 56 x 41cm
Collection: The artist

Helga Groves’ work deals not so much with the literal as with filtered recollections and subjective sensations about place. The artist recently witnessed floods in Central Queensland and observed the transition from winter to spring in Finland. Black ice and Flood are reflections on these experiences. Working with mesh for Black ice and monofilament fishing line for Flood, Groves attempts to capture the intrinsic qualities of the materials. She says: ‘Mesh is encoded with small grids and, when layered has a moiré effect, suggestive of a current flowing underneath translucent ice. Its initial blackness, when worked with white enamel, develops tonal shifts, a semblance of black ice. Fishing line when woven, diffracts light giving the appearance of fluidity. The colours specific to this work are closely matched to the greens and browns of river water.’

Artist's statement:

In the last twelve months I have experienced two extremes, the northern and southern hemispheres. Finland and Australia are, in a geographical sense, diametrically opposed to each other and yet are both part of my cultural make-up. The residual effects of this travel has led me to find parallels which follow a course of investigation I apply to the production and development of my work.

Finland is traditionally referred to as The land of a thousand lakes. April in Finland is the time to observe the natural phenomenon of transition from winter to spring. The sudden rise in temperature dramatically transforms the landscape, land and water separate. Gradually revealing the current, moving water which for months has been hidden underneath the white expanse of compacted snow and ice. Integral to this process is the appearance of Black Ice ceated in the last stages of thaw.

In contrast to this however, I more recently experienced another transition of climate. In Sub-Tropical Queensland where vast amounts of water, the invasive forces of flooding, smothers large areas of land causing a natural disaster. Looking from above, a thick wash of earthly colour imposes itself upon the landscape abstracting detail and filling all voids.

From these observations two bodies of work have evolved titled respectively Black Ice and Flood. I have chosen to use mesh for the former and monofilament fishing line for the latter in an attempt to capture their intrinsic qualities. Each material has a different relationship to water. Mesh is encoded with small grids and when layered has a moiré effect suggestive of a current flowing underneath translucent ice. It's initial blackness when worked with white enamel develops tonal shifts, a semblance of black ice. Fishing line when woven, defracts light giving the appearance of fluidity. The colours specific to this work are closely matched to the greens and browns of river water.