ART

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‘FALI-LAA’,’ is the name of Charrette van Ekelen's new exhibition that opened on the 18th of June at Chambers Gallery. It’s a new series of work based on the wonderful baches down at Taylor’s Mistake beach and ‘Rotten Row.’  

The name, FALI-LAA comes from one of the bach names.  The idea to do these came from their architectural stance, their fortitude, and the cultural history they provide in their generational inhabitants. 

From the artist: 

The pieces remind me to weather storms, enjoy the sun, and go with whatever comes as best I can.

Living in New Zealand for the past twenty years has shaped how I see and feel home. I came here from elsewhere, and over time, found home first in people, then in the land. Looking at architecture as the physicality of home, this crosses my mind.  I walk by the Taylor’s Mistake baches often—watching how they sit gently or sometimes a little uncomfortably in the landscape, weathered but full of presence. I learn from them, observing their resilience, their impermanence, and how they seem to breathe alongside nature. I use fabric, paint, and thread to explore memory, care, and continuity—materials that feel honest, informative and  familiar.  New Zealand wool blankets, in particular, carry a sense of comfort and history; they remind me of the layered meanings we give to our favourite things. I work layering, painting, stitching and sometimes unpicking. My work is a way of contemplating what was, welcoming what’s next, and finding beauty in what is shaped by time.

The exhibition runs until 14 July at Chambers Gallery, 80 Durham Street,