Madill woodcuts, mezzotints

Press, 8 April 1987, Page 5

Madill woodcuts, mezzotints

Woodcuts and Mezzotints by Kathryn Madill at the Gingko Gallery in the Arts Centre until April 3». Reviewed by Andrew Cutler. • The Auckland artist. Kathryn Madill, has produced an enjoyable selection of woodcuts and mezzotints for her exhibition at the Gingko Gallery. Madill’s woodcuts are a particular strength of this exhibition. She has exploited the coarseness of the woodcut technique without letting it overwhelm the subject matter. Madill makes her statements without cluttering her woodcuts

with background patterns or intricate cross hatching. Too many artists crowd out their woodcuts with a display of technique, or substitute for subject matter by putting messages or notes on their work. Madill also cuts the title of her woodcuts into her work. But in her case, the writing is not a substitute for the lack of a message, but a positive addition to the form and meaning of the work. The titles add an ingredient to the finished product without overwhelming it or acting as a substitute for artistic and creative ability.

Madill has achieved a fine sense of symmetry. The woodcut entitled “Don’t Draw the Curtains” is a particularly good example of the balance she has achieved. Her control of her medium is obvious in this work. The figure is bold and strongly cut and harmonises with the background patterning. This woodcut, and three others were designed as illustrations for a volume of poetry to be published by Judith Laube. The meaning may have been easier to comprehend had the poetry been on hand to read. But that minor

complaint cannot detract from the excellence of the; work. j Of the .other woodcuts,; a series are coloured with vibrant oranges, reds and yellows which with theirdynamic design, makes them buzz with energy. They have titles like “Jug- ! gle” “Swipe” and “Crack” and have a similar visual' impact to that of a rock video: , .. • The mezzontints on display have a completely different impact from the brightness of some of the l woodcuts. The subject matter is mainly drawn from fairy-tales. The soft, : shadowy medium of the mezzontint is ideally suited to the illustration of fairy-tale scenes. There is; a dark and mystical feel' to these works, and it; seems in many of them, that in the shadows behind the visible images the rest of the story isi waiting, to be told. i In “Rapunzel” the fiery,; orange hair of the central figure flies back across; the print as she races to; the window of her castle; room. The dark hues of the mezzontint give a : dramatic edge to thej whole scene. In “Isthmus” the green of the palm leaves and the blue of the woman’s dress against the darkness of. the mezzotint capture a mood of mystery and romance. Kathryn Madill has achieved a fine control over her work. The fifi teen woodcuts and six mezzotints in this exhibit tion are of a quality that is not often seen in Christchurch. j