In the previous edition of the Pilkington Press, we met with Nick Guilford ahead of his first solo exhibition. It was wonderful to see his mahi on display and learn a bit more about the thought behind it.
ecdysis/ˈɛkdɪsɪs,ɛkˈdʌɪsɪs/nounZOOLOGY
- the process of shedding the old skin (in reptiles) or casting off the outer cuticle (in insects and other arthropods).
I'll admit I had to look that one up.
But what interested me more was hearing what the word meant to Nick and how he'd come to choose it as the name for his incredible exhibition! Popping through the door at the Dunedin Community Gallery, the work on display was visually stunning, complex and layered, but not overstated.
It was also very, very cool.
I'm no connoisseur but it's not hard to see the skill and talent Nick brings to his work, and it was pretty apparent the work was paying off once I'd spotted the modest 'sold' stickers near many of his larger-scale works.
When I popped over to see Nick, as if by magic, his extremely proud father Parry dropped in to show off his favourite pieces - great to see Dads everywhere still have a great knack for timing when credit's due!
Parry's certainly earned it with his support for Nick's art over the years - not to mention he'd been helping out all weekend.
Nick's an insightful young lad, evidenced by the competent writing in his exhibition notes:
‘Ecdysis’ explores the challenges faced by many young New Zealanders amid rapid technological, political, and social shifts. ‘Ecdysis,’ referring to the natural process of shedding old skin, symbolises the ongoing need for young people to adapt to societal expectations and evolving conditions.
This exhibition addresses the feelings of futility, hysteria, and alienation prevalent among New Zealand's youth ... Ecdysis aims to reduce these pervasive feelings, and emphasise that these struggles are not bred from personal shortcomings, but rather influenced by societal, political, and technological factors, such as meritocracy, neoliberalism, and the erosion of semantics in mass-media.
Definitely a poignant and well thought-out theme which encapsulates the art on display! But I couldn't help but think there might be something a bit closer to home in all this skin-shedding business...
After all - a debut solo exhibition is definitely a sort of shedding in itself. Not only is art being released out into the world, but Nick is shedding his old identity as a young student as he becomes a fully formed adult & professional artist.
Reflecting on Nick's arrival at this point, I was surprised to learn that his time after John McGlashan was spent studying Psychology, and while he had kept his art with him throughout - he hadn't needed to seek further formal training. What he'd learned at John McGlashan had been enough to start finding his own voice, and he's put it all into practice with a lot of diligence outside of his formal studies. Mr Jones and Mr Clark might be pleased to hear that one!
As we had a bit more fun with applying the metaphor to life in general, touching on what we choose to keep close to our core as we grow, and what is healthy to shed - Nick excitedly showed me piles and piles of sketching paper that his patrons had enthusiastically left their feedback on, saying:
"It's been awesome, validating and pretty humbling to see how many friends and family have come out to support the exhibition and have said that they've genuinely loved everything on display - I couldn't be more happy with how the weekend has gone!"
Congratulations Nick on a successful Ecdysis - we're looking forward to seeing the next phase!
If you like what you see, go ahead and follow Nick's work on Instagram.
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