Karekare Spiral
1994
Karekare Spiral.
Karekare Spiral was made towards the completion of the series of River Styx (Sticks) works.
After the lengthy period of focusing on the loss of ancient kauri I used the spiral form as a symbol of renewal growth and healing.
I made the pattern for sand casting the work from recycled kauri ceiling boards (which were the perfect thickness). Because of the fragility of the salvaged timber, I then cast an aluminium pattern to produce the series of bronzes. Each spiral is made up of five sections with the individual details creating a series of branching forms that appear to grow from the centre of the work.
'The spiral expresses circular time. It is a healer, created to redress the ecological pain of destruction of the kauri. It appears as positive and negative images, in relief and imprinted. Formed of sand on the beach, the helix is washed by the tide until eventually it only remains as a memory. The imprint of the spiral evokes fossils at a certain point of the Rewarewa Stream'. Helen Schamroth, Tideline catalogue, 1999.
Dimensions: Length 1000mm x Width 900mm x Depth 20mm.
Materials: Sand-cast bronze (edition of 20).
