Images from meat works

Press, 23 January 1988, Page 5

Images from meat works

Images from the freezing works are among those used by a Christchurch artist, Bing Dawe, in a rug triptych bound for exhibition in Chicago.

The black and white rugs pursue images already used by the artist.

He sees them as small, sharp observations of our anti-fertility culture. The triptych is a description of conflict, he says. The three rugs are 2m in diameter, circular and use some sculpting in the wool.

The symbolism illustrates the killing chains the artist has observed — the freezing works (where he works in the summer), the contraceptive sheath, the nuclear umbrella and the A.I.D.S. chain.

The black spirals curl inwards representing death. The spring lamb carcas is the symbol of innocence and sacrifice. The artist has placed the pivotal carcas of the central rug along the compass lines to mirror the reorientation of New Zealand’s slaughter houses towards Mecca for the Middle East meat market.

The rugs are called May Pole Dance. The traditional May dance of life is used as a dance of death.

The rugs were made at Dilana Artists’ Collection in the Arts Centre and each took about 10 days. Bing Dawe is one of

four artists who design for the collection. The others are Don Peebles, Michael Armstrong and John Hadwin. The exhibition of Dawe’s rugs and an accompanying series of prints will leave Christchurch for the Topeka Kansas 1987 Gallery next week.

His work, and work from the Dilana Artists’ Collection, has shown there before. Because of the unusual nature of the rugs, the American gallery decided on a fundraising exhibition of the works for the A.I.D.S. Foundations of the United States.

The sale price for the three rugs is $6700, as it is for all the rugs in the Artists’ Collection.

A fund-raising dinner will be held in association with the exhibition in March.

The prints are on the same theme as the rugs and are reproductions on paper of original prints on canvas. They are being sent as a complement to the rugs. Bing Dawe graduated from the fine arts diploma course at the University of Canterbury in 1977, majoring in sculpture.

He has had exhibitions in Australia and New Zealand. Since 1976 he has worked as a slaughterman at the Islington freezing works.